Destination: Northeast!

This trip is a mix of business and pleasure.  We took the Breeze out of the caves and dusted her off for the journey. 

The caves are a pretty cool place: limestone caves that have a constant temperature year round without exposure to the elements.  It's a great place to store our RV!

We put in a new driveway so that we park the RV at home and pack/unpack for our trips.

So we loaded up and headed to St. Louis to see our General Manager, Bob.  That's our office in the background.

From there we headed across the Midwest on I-70. Georgy and I took pics out the windows while Mark did the driving.

 We traveled from St. Louis to Dayton, OH to visit my Uncle Jerry and Aunt Carm. 

I remember going to Wright Patterson Air Force Base as a kid and Mark had never seen the museum so we spent the day walking through the history of aviation.

From a replica of the kitty hawk, to dirigibles and early aircraft, it's all represented here!

There were aircraft everywhere!  Hanging from the ceiling, parked in the hangars and out on the tarmac. There are more than 350 aircraft on premise. We walked over 5 miles through the 3 hangars and didn't make it outside because of the heat.  We did get the chance to see some RC airplanes that were performing outside the rv!

The Sopwith Camel, important to aviation but probably had more popular appeal as Snoopy's aircraft of choice when fighting the Red Baron!

The early wood propellers were works of art.  

This is the interior frame of a wing.  I am just in awe of these early designers.

Click on Virtual tour to see the museum for yourself.

This is an eerie and chilling reminder of the impact of atomic weaponry.

More planes

When I saw this ejector seat, all I could think of was a child safety seat.  I wonder if Graco used these as their inspiration?

The enormity of these missiles gave me pause.  

Stealth!

The Great Salt Lake and Temple Square

We really enjoyed the journey from Des Moines through Wyoming and into Utah.  It was great to meet up with friends Karen and Jim. I spent a day sightseeing and have a few pics below to share. 

On our way into Utah

The fountains at City Creek Center

I think that this is assembly hall

a side view of the Mormon Temple

The Mormon Temple from the base of the reflecting pool

I really enjoyed seeing the kids and families play in the fountain

Another of the fountains

The Temple from across the commons

One of many beautiful gardens in Temple Square.  Karen's Uncle was the original landscape architect who designed the beds.

A visitor to the echinachea

The Great Salt Lake

A large causeway was built across the lake connecting it to Antelope Island (and we never saw an antelope!!!)

Fremont Island viewed from Antelope Island in the Salt Lake

Another view of Fremont Island: there were people in the lake, but due to the flies (and the stench!) we opted out.

I took this picture from a dry portion of the lake.  The tree stump was fully encrusted in salt.  I'm told that when you swim in the salt lake, you become fully encrusted in salt very quickly.

Sometimes it's just fun to watch the kids play.

We visited with friends Monte and Melissa at their new place.  It was great to meet the grandkids and to watch the family have fun together. (no names, this is the internet after all!)

Big sis didn't mind striking a pose.  We were swapping curly hair stories and talking about the job of big sisters!

Full of energy, this little cowboy will be a heart breaker! 

Grandpa is building a new home, which means there's plenty of wood for building on a smaller scale.

Yes, brother and sister getting along and working together.  

Roping practice with coach Mom.

Got him!

Grandma, can I get down please?

Determination!

An unusual life's work

There's a peaceful place just off of highway 278 at Cullman, Alabama.  The Benedictines call this home and Brother Joseph spent his life crafting replicas of significant Christian historic buildings from around the world.  He never visited most of these places, but he crafted them based on pictures and descriptions that he found in books.  Click here to learn more!

Brother Joseph utilized materials that were given to him or discarded by others.

Even in the rain, the gardens were stunning.  

Michael the Archangel

The grotto was dedicated in 1934. Some of the buildings were crooked: I couldn't decide if was that's the way they were constructed or due to age.  Either way, the replicas are fun to look at.

29 crosses stand for the 29 students of St. Bernard that died in World War I.

The grounds included a small chapel and cemetery.