April RV Trip

Marci finally retired and wanted to take a trip with

us to some of the National Parks.  So April is a great

time to head south to warmer weather, right?? 

Lassen National Park was our first stop

 15 feet of snow at the Visitor Center

  No hiking trails were open

 so I guess some people didn't think they would need their boots

The scenery was pretty

On the way south we stopped the night in Sacramento

and couldn't drive past without a visit to Amy's house

and celebrate Claire's 12th birthday!!

 This is what you do when you're 12 because you can

 I put her to work taking pictures of the backyard

After Amy's house we went down to Sequoia National Park

 The river in the campground

 We had a nice space between us so we could set

up our table and sit outside

Good thing I took the picture of the river early

because shortly after this tiny house moved in
and blocked our access

Into the park the next morning

  

 Still snow at the visitor center and on the trails

 Sequoia cones are huge

 as are the trees

 the needles are a little like the cedar

 This visitor center was closed

 General Sherman tree is the world's largest tree by volume

275 ft tall and 36 ft in diameter

I think the Redwoods are taller but defiantly not as wide

 Petroglyphs on Hospital Rock

 Kitchen Rock where the Indian women made

bowls in the rock so they could grind acorns into flour

Little hikes we could do

 Kings Canyon National Park

the next day had less snow but the hiking trails

were still closed

 General Grant Tree 

second largest tree in the world at 267 ft tall

and 29 ft in diameter and is 3,000 year old

 Tailgate lunch

 Pink in the hills

from this bush

Our next stop was at Scott's house

Our campground was a little different this time.

Scott could squeeze us both in his back yard.  We even

had power, water, and shared a sewer drain

 We took a day and visited Death Valley National Park

 Devil's golf course

Badwater 282 ft below sea level

 Natural Bridge

Salt Creek Interpretive Trail

it was a rough hike as you can see by the 

trail we were on

Pupfish were all over in the little stream

 All of us minus Di, we missed you!

 Kids and dirt

 with water

 Rory and Cassie had their baby while we were there

so excited to meet Nora Ann

 Two days old, right from the hospital

Cassie you are amazing

 Scott helped his grandsons build a go cart

but I only saw adults on it

 Cousins helping cousins

 Erin's family

Katie's family

 Rory's family

Scott's family minus Lisa and Joanna, we missed you 

guys too!!

 Not many wildflowers were still in bloom when we 

got to the desert but a few were still out on our way to
Boulder City, Nevada

 Lake Mead

 And on into Arizona

On the way to the Grand Canyon...our next stop

 We rode the train from Williams, AZ to the Grand Canyon

couldn't pass up a picture of this rail car

or this one, since Cade and Claire studied these Indians

in elementary school 

 Horses, but they weren't wild

 Entertainment

 Wildlife

 Yikes!!

 Suspension bridge

 We saw a lot of elk on the ride back to Williams

We had a train robbery, that they had to slow the train

down for so the robbers could get on, and then this

sheriff came on to make sure we were all safe.  He 

asked if the robbers took our money and one girl 

said, "No" and showed him her money.  He took

it for "evidence" 

 On to Zion National Park

Zion National Park

 Trail to the River walk

Marci and Bruce headed home from Zion and we 

headed to Mel and Gary's house for Easter

 We stopped for one night in Salt Lake City, UT

Amy, Cade, and Claire met up with us at Mel and Gary's

 We got right into corn hole competitions

 Eating great dinners

Happy Easter!!

 Fishing

 Nice catch Cade

Got some shooting in

 Chased Ruger around 

 until he was worn out

 The kids got some 4 wheeling in in the yard

Sorry about the grass, Gary

Dart games in the garage

Amy and Michelle got some cousin time in
(Baby girl due in May)

 We even fit in some site seeing

watching jumpers on the Perrine Bridge

 Shoshone Falls

Niagara Falls of the West

Thanks Mel and Gary for great memories

We had the best three weeks plus ever with Family!!!
Let's do it again!