We did arrive safe and sound, well, safe anyway, on August 18th, a week ago. After all that time, 71 days, and all thoise miles, 13,000, we found our house and dog, Tasha, well cared for by Amanda and the yard well kept by Denny, our neighbor. We unpacked the van bit by bit, bag by bag. "Hey, I didn't know we took that", we cried in surprise at what we found at the bottom of the heap. "Oh, there that is", was another phrase we used.
All in all the trip to Alaska and back will be an unforgettable trek, including all the sights we saw on the way out and back. I'm glad that I posted to the blog regularly and had positive responses in the comments and by email and now in person.
Donna has been compiling a photo album, now nearly 200 photos, and she ordered another album because we have over three hundred more in the computer to choose to print. I have a lot of HD video and will be learning how to edit and save in HD format. Videos on the blog were converted to Windows format and edited in Windows Movie Maker on Donna's laptop.
Thank you for following us to Alaska and back.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Cedar Rapids, Iowa - August 16, 2010
Cedar Rapids had bad flooding in June of 2008 when heavy rains swelled the Cedar River that runs right next to the city. The county and city offices were built on islands in the river and have not been reoccupied since. One neighborhood near the river was flooded up to the second floor of businesses and homes. The motel we stayed in had markers up above the first floor doorways to show how high the water had been.
Damaged and repaired homes in that area are being bought by the city and demolished so a new park will take that flood-prone site.
The Quaker Oats Co. in Cedar Rapids is still in business.
Final Stage - August 18, 2010
Here we are, on the NY State Thruway headed home. We were in Norwalk, Ohio for the night after leaving Cedar Rapids Tuesday AM. Not much to post about this part of the trip that last two days. Passing around Chicago was very easy, considering the traffic and highway interchanges we negotiated.
When we visited with Jeremy, my brother, and Selma, his wife, we also saw their children and grandchildren aho live nearby in Iowa.
One night we had a little family music session. I dug out my trombone from underneath everything in the van, and joined two great nieces in performing as atrio of instruments.
Cairo, going into 6th grade, plays tuba and Jetta, going into 5th grade plays harmonica.
Here's a photo. We had fun and I learned a lot about blending in with those two.
When we visited with Jeremy, my brother, and Selma, his wife, we also saw their children and grandchildren aho live nearby in Iowa.
One night we had a little family music session. I dug out my trombone from underneath everything in the van, and joined two great nieces in performing as atrio of instruments.
Cairo, going into 6th grade, plays tuba and Jetta, going into 5th grade plays harmonica.
Here's a photo. We had fun and I learned a lot about blending in with those two.
Monday, August 16, 2010
On the road to Cedar Rapids - August 13, 2010
Leaving Fargo behind we passed over the Red River of the North to Minnesota. This has been the site of flooding in the spring thaws. The Red River flows north into Canada and when the upper, or southern, river melts the northern part can still be frozen and have ice jams. Then the water backs up and floods.
As we drove along I heard that parts of I-35 might be flooded but it was up on I-94 where we saw that a Rest Area was closed. As we went by we could see that the ramp leading down to the waterfront parking area was flooded. There has been a lot of rain here this week.
We saw all around us stormy looking clouds but no rain on us. Closer to Minneapolis we took the bypass route of I-394 to I-35W to I-35. On a Friday afternoon about 2:30 there was a lot of traffic and we went slowly through the suburban area. Once around that we picked up the pace again.
About 6:30 we were in Cedar Rapids and getting supper in the Best Western Cooper's Mill motel. I called my brother and he wanted us to come over that evening and visit with them so we did.
As we drove along I heard that parts of I-35 might be flooded but it was up on I-94 where we saw that a Rest Area was closed. As we went by we could see that the ramp leading down to the waterfront parking area was flooded. There has been a lot of rain here this week.
We saw all around us stormy looking clouds but no rain on us. Closer to Minneapolis we took the bypass route of I-394 to I-35W to I-35. On a Friday afternoon about 2:30 there was a lot of traffic and we went slowly through the suburban area. Once around that we picked up the pace again.
About 6:30 we were in Cedar Rapids and getting supper in the Best Western Cooper's Mill motel. I called my brother and he wanted us to come over that evening and visit with them so we did.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Fargo to Cedar Rapids, Iowa - August 13, 2010
In the morning we had the complimentary breakfast at the Inn and started off for Cedar Rapids where we plan to stay until Tuesday and visit with my brother, Jeremy and his family. We'll be glad for the break from driving each day and also see the generations that live there.
Our route would take us south-east to Minneapolis/St. Paul on I-94 and then south to Iowa on I-35. Once in Iowa we would go southeast at Clear Lake and on to Cedar Rapids.
Our route would take us south-east to Minneapolis/St. Paul on I-94 and then south to Iowa on I-35. Once in Iowa we would go southeast at Clear Lake and on to Cedar Rapids.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Fargo, ND - August 12, 2010
In Fargo we found our hotel, Best Western Kelly Inn and Suites after going around a long block because of construction. This was the nicest place we stayed so far. Only two years old and decorated like a western lodge, all wooden interior lobby and cowboy stuff all over. All the way from the center of North Dakota, near Bismark we had been seeing increasing clouds and listening on the radio to weather reports about thunderstorms building up.
The sky was cloudy as we went to supper at a restaurant next door to the Inn. While we had our meal the first rain came and then stopped before we finished. Going back to the Inn we went to the van to get a few things as the dark clouds came closer from the north, almost over us.
Back in our room we watched the storm roll in and the lightning and thunder hit right where we were. The rain came down and overflowed the gutters on the roof above us and splashed down to the ground below, we were on the second floor. Something on the roof was booming like stage thunder, some metal sheet flapping or something.
That was an exciting storm to see and nice to be in a safe building.
The sky was cloudy as we went to supper at a restaurant next door to the Inn. While we had our meal the first rain came and then stopped before we finished. Going back to the Inn we went to the van to get a few things as the dark clouds came closer from the north, almost over us.
Back in our room we watched the storm roll in and the lightning and thunder hit right where we were. The rain came down and overflowed the gutters on the roof above us and splashed down to the ground below, we were on the second floor. Something on the roof was booming like stage thunder, some metal sheet flapping or something.
That was an exciting storm to see and nice to be in a safe building.
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