As we traveled the country I kept thinking about what draws people to where they live....for some...work...for others...weather...cost of living, family, environment, traditions,..whatever it is there sure are different cultures, behaviors, words, food likes, dress....yet we are all just people created by the same creator....some have so little yet still smile...what an amazing country we have seen over the weeks....beautiful scenery, incredible rock formations, the bluest water, the redest cliffs, the biggest sand dunes, the most beautiful cactus flowers, amazing arches, massive dams, rough running waters, calm little creeks, snow, ice, tundra, dessert, forests, plains, heat, cold, big animals (buffalo), small creatures (kangaroo rat) caves, cliffs, hills, mountians, ...what else can I say but...God you are an amazing creator...we are a blessed people....

If you want to really see America you have to hit the road and hit the trails...get downright dirty and dusty...some like to follow Fox news or play on their "minecraft"...others like to get out and enjoy the awesome creation God has blessed us with...wow...what an amazing country we live in...I have experienced more of rural America and the "WEST" in the last 3 weeks than I have in my lifetime...such breath taking beauty at each turn..and oh so different...forests, desert, Indian Reservations, small towns, tourist locations, back dirt roads, ghost towns, rivers, canyons, moutains, snow, rain, hot, dry, wind, crystal clear water, muddy waterholes, narrow dirt paths to the canyon, paved roads, cactus, flowers, swamps, caves, clear blue skies, hikes, hummers, mules, jetboats, RV, car, and jeep and train to come....these words describe our phenomenal trip of a lifetime.....

All I can say is...why don't we have the same work ethic these days....unbeleivable how the men of the 1930's can construct and build a dam in the middle of the desert and be finished 2 years before schedule...these days we can't even get a simple road finished anytime before scheduled time or budgeted money....maybe it is because we often see 1 person working and 5 or 6 others standing around watching them??!!  The Hoover Dam is a masterpiece of brillance and quite the feat of engineering...we got to step right down inside the power plant....incredible.....I give much credit to the men who hung off the side of a cliff with no OSHA rules and all the "safety precautions" of our day and gave us what we so enjoy today as a "tourist attraction"....humbling experience....so beautiful...

Well it has been not quite 24 hrs since the incredibly beautiful mule ride to the bottom of Bryce Canyon.  What a sight..It had it's moments though...them mules love to live or walk on the edge.  And you are not going to get them to do otherwise.  At some points it is a 4 foot wide path, there are hikers, and you are on the outer edge of the ledge that drops off into the canyon.  All 3 of us had our "nervous" moments but it was well worth the trip.  Incredible pictures...they do not show the maginificense of the beauty of this incredible canyon.  Absolutely breath taking.  Our new friend that we met on the road biking was there as well but we must have just missed him...we were in the same store around the same time...maybe we will meet him in Zion.   It's been the trip of a lifetime and there is still more to come...we are headed to the alien country today and then on to vegas...maybe get lucky????  Check in later to see....

Thank the Lord for Hardees....web access...sorry we have been out of touch....no web access in our boondocking truck stop and Cracker Barrel overnight camp spots....and here we sit...in heaven...having a Dunkin Donuts..just for you Amy...and getting caught up in the real world using Hardees free internet....and they had a neat little store...I was having some shopping withdrawl....did manage to pick up a few little special things....trip is great...small leak in overflow tank for coolant...duck tape??  may do the trick.....hitting the Rockies tomorrow....destination arrival...probably Friday am....a shout out to all you following us...see ya at the next web access site!! 

Well....how do you pack for a month?  Easy...1 week x's 4.  We are just hours away and about ready for take off.  Fridge is full, freezeer packed, closets and drawers filled with all the necessities..satellite TV antenna waiting for a signal...cleaning has been done (thanks Matthew) and I think we might just be ready to roll fairly early tomorrow...well Uncle Harv's early :) ...goal for tomorrow...to settle in somewhere close to Indianapolis.  Check in with us and see how far we make it on day one of our long journey.  We might even have a few photos to add to our growing gallery.....

"There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it." -- Charles Dudley Warner

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