Some have asked about what prompted this six-month road-trip. Well, in part it is a compilation of people and places I have wanted to visit for years. In the end, we have rolled many different visits into one trip. One such visit happened today in Lewiston, UT. It is a visit I have wanted to make for about 15 years. Here I am with Larry W. Dunn. He was my senior companion when we served as Branch Teachers in the Oak Harbor Branch in the early '60s. He was 19 and in the US Navy and I was 14. He set the best examples for me in how to have fun and enjoy life. He was someone I looked up to and respected. He was also the first person to let me drive a car. (I was 15) He had such confidence in me that he stopped near Marysville, WA, got out, went around and got in the passenger side and said, "you're driving." He then promptly fell asleep while I drove his 1955 Mercury Montclair home to Oak Harbor, WA. That was a major confidence builder and I shall forever thank him for his trust in me. We had an exceptional visit today that met my every expectation for this long awaited visit. Richard

We spent Sunday night with my brother Thomas Thunell and his wife Heather in Draper, Utah.  It was so wonderful to visit with them (top picture- Tom, Heather, Ann, Richard)
On Monday we visited with my college roommate Charleen Crawford and her husband Richard in Brigham City, UT.  Charleen and I were roommates for 4 years at BYU and we were in the same major, Homemaking Education.  It was so fun to catch up with what has happened since we saw each other many years ago. (middle picture Richard, Ann, Charleen, Richard C.  When we drove through Brigham City we saw the Brigham City Temple, now under construction.  It is very beautiful.
Then we visited with Elaine and Roger Newswander in Providence, UT.  Elaine was my roommate at BYU for 3 years.  We had  a delightful visit and so enjoyed being together again. -Ann

We are still in Wyoming following the Mormon Trail (Driving Route, which is quite close to the actual trail in many places).  Split Rock is a landmark for travelers on the trail and they could see it for quite a distance in both directions.  The next picture is pretty much the general scenery we have seen in Wyoming and it is also a landmark on the Mormon Trail where ice would stay frozen under the ground into June and July.  We camped  in the campground at the Willie Handcart Site. Also camping there was a couple from Germany we met, Volker and Petra, who were on a 20 month bicycle trip from Anchorage, AK to Argentina.  Wow!  We really enjoyed talking to them.

We took a gravel road for about 14 miles (scary at times) toward South Pass.  We passed Carissa Mine, a gold mine in South Pass City which was prosperous for a time and experienced several boom and bust cycles.  We loved the city sign for South Pass City.  We finally found South Pass and were able to walk out to the marker of the Mormon Trail, California, Oregon and Pony Express Trails (one marker with a trail marked on each of 4 sides).  It was so humbling and amazing to walk on the very trail that the Pioneers and especially important to me, that my great, great, great Grandfather Brigham Young had been on. - Ann

Of all of the pioneer trail sites we have visited in the past week, the one we stood on today with South Pass in the background is one of two that we could be 100% certain that we were standing on the actual exact spot where those events actually took place. The other one was Emigrants Gap. All of the others were all in the general vicinity and worthwhile, or course; but at those two sites we were standing on the actual spots where pioneers stood. It was awesome. Richard 

Flashback to Chicago, IL:  Here is a picture of our relatives we stayed with in the Village of Winnetka, IL--Richard's sister Sheila Duran (center) and our brother-in-law Rick to the right of Sheila.  While we were there we were also able to see Danica Elliott, our niece (Sheila & Rick's daughter) and her daughter Idra (on Grandma's lap)  Her husband Aaron (left of Danica) joined them later after we had been there.  At the far right is our nephew Brayden Duran who we were also able to visit with while we were in Winnetka.  We had such a wonderful time with them and they gave us great ideas of what to see and in Chicago. - Ann

After my father, George Marin, had recovered from Polio in September 1947, our little family consisting of Dad, our mother, Irene, my one-year old brother, John, and me a two-year old traveled to Cleveland, Ohio to visit my Grandparents. On the way back to San Diego we stopped at a motel in Rawlins, WY and on the night of September 7, 1947 my mother died of a seizure. I have narrowed the possible motels to these three. The next photo is of the former hospital where she was declared dead and the final photo is of the train station doors that her body passed through on the way to the train to be shipped to San Diego.
I can only imagine how hard it must have been for my father to continue that drive with a one-year old and a two-year old and no longer a wife. Richard

Yesterday, we drove to Martin's Cove in Wyoming. On the way we stopped at Ayers Natural Bridge and Ann climbed it too. Good for her. Then we drove to Emigrant Gap way out of the way. This is where the California, Oregon, Mormon trails and Pony Express routes went over a hill and a whole new vista opened up to them - a major milestone. We camped near Martin's Cove. We saw an incredible sunset, a marvelous sky full of stars that I haven't seen since I was 14 years old on Guam. We heard coyote and saw owls. Then there was an incredible sunrise too.
Up until now, I have resisted Trek. But today, Ann and I took a loaded handcart on a five mile hike that included Martin's Cove and a walk through the Sweetwater River. We walked right past the statues of the young men who carried the perishing pioneers across the Sweetwater. It was very moving. In the end we were exhausted and now have an even greater appreciation of those whose faith was so, so strong. Richard

Today we drove from Rapid City, SD to Fort Laramie, WY and then to Douglas WY. On the trip we experienced a serious Dirt Devil that really buffeted the car. We also struck up a conversation with a total stranger in a grocery story in Lusk, WY and found that he had worked for several years near Martha Lake - about 10 miles from our house.

Today we drove through Sturgis, SD on the way to Devils Tower in Wyoming. It is spelled correctly without an apostrophe. The rock formation was awesome to see in person. Much more impressive than the photos you see. It was a good thing that we just drove through Sturgis though. That is the legendary Mecca for Harley Davidson owners with a huge gathering every year. Had we stopped, I would have had to keep a keen eye on Ann for fear she would run off with some biker dude. Richard

Today, after church, we drove about 45 miles east to Wall Drug and the Badlands National Park. You've seen the bumper stickers - Where the H#*@ is Wall Drug? Well, we found it and boy was it over the top.  It was so huge and so many things to look at. But the coolest thing was that we got to see one of the true oddities of Darwin's Evolution. Yup, we seen 'em. The Jackalope, common to these parts; but especially common to Wall Drug.
The Badlands were really something to see in person and we were quite happy that we took the time to go see them. And, as you can see, I am really enjoying the beard. Looks pretty cool with the Stetson Revenger.
And, of course, Ann is looking pretty sweet with yet another new blouse. Richard

Today we went to Mt. Rushmore.  It's something I've always wanted to see and it was very thrilling to be there.  Today was a big change from what we've seen the past few days, from mostly flat Nebraska to the mountain climb in South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore.  We have 3 more states to see.  It's hard to believe we've been gone 5 1/2 months. -Ann

We started our day by going to the Golden Spike Tower adjacent to the Bailey Railroad Yard in North Platte, NE - the largest railroad yard in the world. It was super cool and now we know why we have seen so many trains yesterday and today.
Our next adventure was following our GPS on a road that should have been a shorter distance to our destination - trouble was, we ended up on several dirt roads, going through farmland in the hills. Ann was not too impressed. So we changed the setting on the GPS to faster time and got back on the paved roads.
Then we stopped in the coolest little village of Lewellen,NE population 282. We visited their town hall and got to see their council chambers - a little smaller than I was used to; but it would seem to limit audience participation (complaints from the same people all of the time.) The town hall was 12' wide and the library next door was also 12' wide.  The library hours were:  Tuesday 9-12 and Friday 2-5.
The next photo is of Chimney Rock which was a major landmark for California, Oregon and Mormon pioneers as well as Pony Express. Tonight we are in Scottsbluff, NE

Today we visited the very best museum ever in a small town of Minden, NE. It is the Pioneer Village of over 50,000 items in every field of endeavor arranged in order of development. It was unbelievable! Check out the electric wheelchair from 1952. The US's first jet aircraft. The land office where the museum originator's Grandfather got his homestead. More tractors, cars and trucks than I have ever seen anywhere. A two person - side by side - bike from 1896 long before our son Rex ever thought about building cool bikes. And a Pony Express log building along with the one room school the originator of the museum went to as a child.

Yesterday, we spotted this very small public library in a very small town. The sign in front announces the four times a week that they are open for two and a half hours each time. We are very fortunate. The last 25 miles of our trip to Council Bluffs was detoured because of flooding of the Missouri River that has lasted for about three months. Al least one overpass has sunk because of the standing water. What a mess. Later that day we visited Kanesville Tabernacle in Iowa and Winter Quarters, NE. Very cool.
This morning we walked across the Missouri River between Omaha, NE and Council Bluffs, IA on a really interesting foot bridge. After that we visited the Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs, IA.
Then we followed the Mormon Trail from Council Bluffs, IA to Grand Island, NE. Interestingly, the Lincoln Highway - the first transcontinental highway in the US - follows some of the same route. Now here is where I get a little melancholy about what I saw of the Lincoln Highway today. In 1947, when I was two years old, our little family drove the same road. It was before seat belts and car seats for children. So, I, as a two year-old, stood the whole time leaning against either my mother in the front seat or against the door in the back seat so that I could see everything. As we drove along the highway today, I looked for buildings that I would have seen in 1947. And, as we drove through this section of the country in 1947, none of us in the car had any inkling of the tragedy that would happen to our family just a few hundred miles away in Wyoming the next day. More to follow. Richard
The bottom 2 pictures are in Grand Island, NE--a gas station that is still open and where Richard's family might have bought gas in 1947, and the bottom picture is near there, it's part of a seedling mile of the Lincoln Highway.  It's one of 2 that are still intact.-Ann

We spent hours in the Mall of America in Minneapolis. Then we were driving down the road this morning and I nearly fell out of the seat laughing at the caution sign. I had to drive back for a photo. It was, obvious to me, the work of a couple of 14-15 year old boys having a little fun. Then we discovered the largest candy store in Minnesota. Ann was in heaven. And, speaking of heaven, we later stopped in a beautiful city of Saint Peter, MN. Sure enough they had their own "pearly gates." And, it might surprise you that, no matter how hard I tried, I could not get them open. Hum?
We also stayed in a city where Jenny-O turkey is the primary employer. Another where they have a Toro wheel plant. Then while driving on the Minnesota River Valley Bi-way we came into the "Valley of the Jolly Green Giant" - and then where they process La Sueur peas. Tonight we are in Sibley, IA.