All over the map . . .: The Final Chapter

After eight months on the road . . .

We're HOME ! ! !

(For a larger image & better focus, just click on the picture!)

We had that fabulous respite at Capitol Reef National Park, then we high-tailed it for good ol' Vancouver U.S.A. . . .

Bye-bye

That was truly one awesome and amazingly scenic park!

On the fast track now - zipped right on past Salt Lake City as we headed north . . .

Downtown SLC from the Interstate

And then . . .

Next scheduled stop was at Harold's sister Mary's in Emmett, near Boise. It had been almost a year since we last visited her there! What fun we had with Mary, her daughter Laurie and Laurie's adorable kids!

City Park Fitness Course challenge?
Kinzie & Cole sure put "Uncle Harold" to the test!

With Laurie & Mary at the Emmett Farmer's Market . . .

This is NOT abuse, I swear! Cole & Kinzie begged to go in there!

We managed to pack in a lot of quality visiting time there in two short days! THANKS, Mary, for EVERYTHING! Now YOU come see US! Love you!!

Soon we were "On the road again . . ." headed for a visit with Robin and family in Othello, the final stop of our Epic Road Trip. There we were, rolling along, out of Idaho and across the Snake River . . .

Almost home??

Well, some Oregon welcome we got! Ka-Bammo! Can you believe it? Another BLOWOUT!! This is our tire . . .

Once again we're thanking our lucky stars for Roadside Assistance! Even with that, we "cooled our jets" by the side of the highway in the middle of absolute nowhere for about three hours before we were re-tired and on our way.

Hey! We're in Washington!

YAY! Othello! Haven't been there since last October! Lindy and Maren had been out to spend time with us in Florida in March, but we hadn't seen Natalie and Karly in nearly a year! They're all so TALL!

Natalie has joined the "taller than Mom" bunch!

A happy time in Othello! We talked, laughed, ate and played . . . Karly and Natalie demonstrated new playground equipment at Karly's school for us.

That twisty apparatus on the left is a
serious tummy tumbler! I know. I tried it!

Yeah, Grampa gave it a shot, too!

(Can you see his green face??)

Karly sure gets around on her scooter.
Here she is - Sunday morning before church!

Mike and Corina (our soon-to-be daughter-in-law) drove down from Spokane for a Sunday visit. We were so glad they could come join us!! Corina is such a sweetheart and Michael is, well, I'll just say, obviously IN LOVE! What a FUN day! Mike and Shane adjourned to the garage for some "guy time" - guitar pickin'-and-a-strummin'." More talking, laughing, eating, sharing - with Provosts coming and going every which way. Not sure how Shane and Robby keep track of all the activities. Household routine?? NO WAY!

Never did have everyone there at the same time. Maren was off at a church
activity and Lindy ("What? No way! I'm in my PJs and NO MAKEUP!")
said she'd rather take the picture than be IN it!

We got all caught up on the goings-on in the Provost family and also with Mike and Corina. Happy to know we'll be seeing all of them again before too long!!

This morning before heading for the home stretch, we stopped to visit Robin's classroom of 2nd-graders. Yes, Robby has officially begun her new career with a roomful of eager faced (and some maybe not so eager?) seven year olds!

"Teacher Robin"

Finally, enjoying the familiar scenery of the path home from Othello, through the green and golden farmland of south central Washington and then rolling along beside the mighty Columbia, glistening under a sunny sky. Coming home!

Then what? Melancholia? Nostalgia? Well, whatever it was, winding our way through the rockscape of the Columbia River Gorge, I got a "warm fuzzy feeling" that seemed to come from being back in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Been all around this beautiful country of ours, but I guess the PNW holds a special place in my heart!

Half-way home the blue sky was rudely interrupted by a smokey haze, and we watched as orange-grey billowing plumes boiled up from the hills on both sides of the river and drifted above the water. The putrid smell and taste of the wildfires found their way to our senses. Fire season! Pray for rain!

And then - HOME!!! And there was Alessa! And Graydon! They've been holding down the fort there these past eight months. And Aric was there, too! We sure did miss them - and I KNOW Alessa missed us! I think Graydon is mostly happy to have Trixie home so he can throw the ball for her!