Wendy here.

We're packing up, getting ready to leave Salt Lake City this morning. It's a rice krispies, coffee, and orange juice kind of morning, too; I had a brief scuffle with Caitlin over sitting at the computer while breakfast is being had. Caitlin and I have lots of scuffles but we love each other dearly and actually get along pretty well most of the time.

Three days in Salt Lake City is not enough. I don't think I've spent any significant amount of time here in... a long time. Last Christmas I was out for a few days. Before that I do believe was the Christmas before when I was out, again, only for a few days. This Christmas I need to make it out... though I wonder how likely it is that it'll be more than, significant pause followed by repetitious statement, a few days.

I spent the night at Grandma Randquist's the night before last night with the girls, with Jessica and William, with Cindy, Grandma, and Gandpa, of course. There was nail painting, hair dying, trampoline jumping (or, not so much jumping as laying down), move watching and couch sleeping. I feel like those ought to have dashes through them... but since I haven't E.W. White's Elements of Style I'll leave it at that.

I've been spending time at Grandpa & Great Grandpa Gilbert's as well. Sitting outside, listening to stories and laughing at pretty much everything, spinning great flying disks into the air for Robert to catch... it's all fun. It's all deserving of a longer post, too, but alas, there is packing to do. Next stop: Yellowstone National Park.

Out yall.

a few more pictures- Caitlin

In SLC by Caitlin

so, we made it to Utah!! but I'll get to that later.

We went to Yosemite two days ago, I took 1000 pictures. I'm not kidding, I literally took a little more than 1000 pictures!! we didn't see any bears even though everyone except Wendy wanted to see one, we still have Yellowstone ahead of us so there is still hope. we saw a few waterfalls, we got right underneath one called bridal veil and I got the picture of a double rainbow!

we also saw burned forest, it was interesting and sad and breathtaking in the same moment. this is one of the many pictures, its a little light but there will be many more on facebook.

I took so many pictures, its hard to describe them all.
other than that we just spent time at the camp ground in California. then yesterday we spent all day driving to SLC (Salt Lake City) we drove though the salt flats which was very cool, I didn't take any pictures because the camera didn't have any batteries in the camera so it just didn't happen.

but now we're in SLC with my grandfather and great grandfather. its nice to be here because we are going to be here for a few days. my grandfather gave me his old laptop, so now I am no longer relying on the kindness of my mom and sister.

Wendy Robert and I went over to her sisters house and had ice cream, and Robert got to jump on the trampoline, he got all wet because the tramp was hot and I didn't want Robert to get burned. so he got ALL wet.

well, I'll post more pictures in a little while.

Post by Caitlin

so its been pretty hectic. we left Las Vegas and crossed death valley. it was an impressive place, but getting out was scary! we went from an elevation of like 3000 to 100 below sea level to 3000 to like 400 to like 4000 all in the span of like 60 miles, in an RV towing a car. I think I would be all right if I never had to make that journey again.

we are currently at the base on the east side of the Sierra mountains. they are impressive. I mean the Rocky's are nothing to laugh at, but maybe I just haven't seen them in so long that these seem more impressive. last night we stayed at a camp ground that was right across from the highest mountain in the Sierra's, Mt Whitney, actually the tallest mountain in the contiguous united states. its 14,497 feet. which is most definitely impressive. we thought about going up into the mountains yesterday but after crossing death valley we weren't really up for it. so we just went to the camp and spent the rest of the day just hanging out. Its actually slightly cold here. which I love, but it just might be time to break out sweat pants and tennis shoes.

I got my GPS exchanged, so now we have more GPS's than vehicles which is nice because we would have been in a world of hurt when mine broke if we didn't have the other ones.

hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures I've taken when we get to SLC in a couple days. if not then it will just have to wait till we all get home.

Laurel on RV mountain travel and Death Valley

I write from an RV park outside Mammoth Lakes CA, where we take a moment to plug everything in and collect batteries. After the Grand Canyon, we took 93 up over the Hoover Dam to Vegas. It took some work to get across the Hoover Dam, I surmise because of terror plots and the like. Macy and Caitlin wanted to take pictures, so they jumped out of the RV and took off across.....and they couldn't get to the RV until a mile up. Oy. So then, Vegas. Yes, tatoos were had. And TWO buffets. Then, we left Vegas.

We entered Death Valley on the west side at about 6:30 p.m. If I've heard one person this week say "don't go to Death Valley," I've heard ten people say it, but after so long, you just got to do what people say you can't do, you know? Initially, I thought it would be too dark. Driving down was FRIGHTENING. We're in this massive RV (which, in spite of the check engine light on day 3 or so, has been really well behaved) and towing my Vue, so....it's a lot of momentum. We crested out at the bottom of the valley (our GPS read -75 feet, below sea level) at dusk, and one day away from the full moon. Spectacular. Heat in the 90s, but....this giant sand desert between these massive peaks. Wow. The drive back up was less nerve wracking,...until the switchbacks started. In the dark.

Terrifying.

Then we found camping and had lunch in Bishop CA and headed up here and here we are, waiting on Yosemite, tomorrow, We followed some 15 miles of an access road into Kings Canyon, but those 7%, 8% grades......they're just frightening, and, there did not appear to be much in the way of turn-around space. Tomorrow, we'll take the Vue up through the whole of Yosemite....to the Sequoia groves and waterfalls on the other side.

Also, having some network problems. My computer, too, got dropped (the "big" one) and is not recognizing any networks, so we're a little out of touch.

Las Vegas baby! -Caitlin

so we're in Las Vegas... it's nice to be here since I am now old enough to drink and gamble... although I lost the first time out on the floor, I played craps and taught it to macy a little, I lost. so I dont think I will be playing again... I think I prefer to play with fake money... its more fun!! lol... we also had dinner at this crazy buffet, they had pretty much everything you could think of and then some. like fresh made crepes with anything you would like inside! they also had sushi, and creme brulee made fresh and flan and several different kinds of pasta and cheese wedges and salmon with herbs, it was very good.

we all got tattoos today... I got my dogs paw print on my foot with her name under it, and it hurt so much more than my last one!! I mean SO MUCH MORE!! I was pretty much the wimp of the family (although I was laughing instead of crying) but the only thing that kind of redeems myself is that everyone else got one on their back and mine was on my foot, so it went over quite a few more bones...

I didnt fully think about the fact that I will be unable to go swinning on the rest of this trip... everyong else will be able to get in the pool they will just have to be careful that they dont submerge their backs... I'll let everyone else say what they got on their own blogs... its nice though wendy and I almost checkened out but I think it will be a nice way to remember this crazy trip...

I'm a little sad we will be leaving tomorrow, I dont feel like we have spent any real time here, there is so much to do and we have only just barely scratched the surface... well, on to the next thing.



I'll let eve

Wendy here.

I took about 250 pictures at the Crystal Forest - I am in love with petrified wood. A whole forest of rocks that were trees - I couldn't ask for better. I want to show about half of the pictures I took... but alas for upload time I'm having issues getting one up before generator hours are over.

This is an up close look at the inside of a piece of petrified wood.

Out yall.