Well, I'm in the final stages of getting all of our trip events together. In addition to driving tons of places, hiking, and so forth, I've tried to build in a few memorable events into the trip. First, we will be taking a hot air balloon ride from Albuquerque on May 30. We have to get there at dawn, but we will get to fly over the desert as the cactus bloom. Second, we will be riding Pike's Peak Cog Railway in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Erin's birthday. Third, we will be taking a half-day horseback ride through the narrows and the Virgin River in Zion's National Park, Utah. Fourth, we will be seeing David Copperfield's performance in Las Vegas. Fifth, we will be going to Knott's Berry Farm and Disneyland in Los Angeles. Six, we will tour Alcatraz in San Francisco. Seventh, we will ride to the top of the Space Needle in Seattle. Eighth, we will go horseback riding in the Eastern Oregon wilderness (Erin will get to go every day for 2 full weeks, but David, Daniel, Moritz, and I will probably get to go once or twice). Ninth, we will get to see a production of Kiss Me, Kate by the Utah Festival Opera in Logan. Tenth, we will get to go on a Float trip down the Snake River in the Grand Teton National Park. Finally, we will get to go to Mackinac Island and cross the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan.
That's not to mention all of the National Parks and National Monuments we will be visiting: Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas), Petroglyph National Monument (New Mexico), Pecos National Historical Park (New Mexico), Manitou Cliff Dwellings (Colorado), Garden of the Gods (Colorado), Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado), Colorado National Monument (Colorado), Arches National Park (Utah), Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah), Zion National Park (Utah), Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (Utah), Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona), Giant Sequoia National Monument (California), Sequoia National Park (California), Kings Canyon National Park (California), Yosemite National Park (California), Lassen National Volcanic Park (California), Lava Beds National Monument (California), Crater Lake (Oregon), Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area (Oregon), Lewis and Clark National Historic Park (Oregon), Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (Oregon), The Great Salt Lake (Utah), Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming), Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming), Devil's Tower National Monument (Wyoming), Jewel Cave National Monument (South Dakota), Crazy Horse Memorial (South Dakota), Mount Rushmore National Memorial (South Dakota), Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota), Badlands National Park (South Dakota), and Grand Island National Recreation Area (Michigan).
I'm also thinking that the weekend after we get home, we may take Moritz to Six Flags in Atlanta if everyone isn't too burned out!
All in all, I think we are at 10,000+ miles for this trip. Hopefully we enjoy in and don't feel the burning desire to leave the kids on the side of the road in New Mexico!
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