Check this site between March 31 and about April 24 to see how our trip is progressing.

Is anyone checking out our pictures? Send us e-mail and let us know what you think. We try to check e-mail nightly.

• March 30-31: Colorado gives us a farewell present. Click for pictures
• March 31: The car is PACKED! Click for pictures
• March 31: First stop: Monte Vista, CO, elev. 7,660 ft. Came over La Veta Pass (9,413 ft). The road was snowy, but fine. We are staying at the only drive-in movie theater Best Western in the world; but the theater is not operating this time of year. Click for pictures
• April Fool's Day: We came over the Continental Divide this morning on US 160. It was quite snowy at the top, but we made it no problem without the chains. There's a great ski area right before you get to the divide - wish we had planned to stop! We had lunch in Mancos, CO, a very quaint little town. The visitor's Center there just opened today. Lucky us! Then on to Mesa Verde National Park. That was quite an experience. We got snowed on, then wished for sunscreen, then got snowed on again. Saw several wild turkeys and a pony. Lauren really enjoyed seeing one of the cliff dwellings and the Museum. We'll go back tomorrow and hopefully have a bit better weather. Hard to see across Canyons when you're inside a cloud! Click for pictures.
• April 2: We spent the whole day in Mesa Verde, and saw lots of good stuff. It's a great time to visit, crowd-wise; but the weather is quite uncertain. We got snowed on again today, and it was chilly; but most of the day was nice. Lauren's favorite was climbing a ladder down into a kiva. Click for pictures
• April 3: Today was long and very full. We started at Four Corners Monument. Cool! (And chilly!) Then we drove through very desolate country to Canyon De Chelly. That was quite an awesome sight. The digital camera does not do justice to the intense red. We then drove on down to Petrified Forest. In retrospect, we would have stayed longer in Canyon de Chelly. In comparison, the Painted Desert is really washed out. And petrified logs are only so exciting. But, we did see some antelope - and almost ran over a cow, some sheep, and several horses. The back roads of Arizona are quite interesting. Click for pictures
• April 4: Got to Meteor Crater this morning a few minutes after they opened at 8am. This whole time zone thing has got us starting pretty early. That was pretty impressive. The museum is full of awesome graphics; and it really is a BIG hole in the ground. Then it was on to the piece de resistance of our trip - the Grand Canyon. We drove through Coconino and Kaibab National Forests, at altitudes up to 8,047 feet. There was snow under the trees, but not enough to ski on. We agree that we are tree people. We much preferred this to the open deserts. Got to the Grand Canyon around 11am. It is CROWDED! We'd hate to see this place when school is out. They say the first week in March is a slow time. It's also quite warm now. Sunscreen and hats will be our friends. In the evening we went and watched the sunset from the Rim - rode our bikes there. It's quite hilly. Click for pictures
• April 5: Today we split up. Henry did the macho hike down into the Canyon and back. Lauren and I prudently stayed near the Rim. We did a Fossil Walk with a park ranger, and Lauren found a bunch of fossils. No Dinosaurs, though, those were in layers that got washed away eons ago. The pictures today are from Henry's hike. Warning, this page is intense - 16 pictures and at high resolution.

  Henry has added narration to these photos. Oops! We've run out of space on our server. These photos have been deleted. If anyone still wants to see them, please send us a note!. Click for pictures

• April 6: This was a driving day. We left Grand Canyon after loading the car with our stuff and some extra purchases from the Visitor Center and headed to Vegas. It was close to a 5 hour drive through seriously desolate terrain - and hot. We checked in to the Plaza, then immediately set off again. There's a great Children's Museum here which all of us enjoyed for a while; but then it was off for more driving around in unfamiliar territory trying to get the cell phone fixed. After two stops around town we discovered that the problem could have been fixed by phone. Argh! This evening we walked across the street from our hotel - the Plaza - and down Fremont St. This is one of the main strip areas of Vegas and VERY crowded. Not many pictures today. Click for pictures
• April 7: Vegas Day. We walked miles in the hot, hot sun. The Casinos take up so much acreage that getting around is exhausting. We started the day at the Zoo, which is quite small, but kind of neat. Then we walked around the Venetian, one of the newer hotels. Beautiful. We crossed over to the Mirage and saw the Dolphin habitat, including a 4 week old dolphin that was born there. Then to Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden, a really well-done exhibit of exotic tigers and lions. Cool! In the heat of the day we checked out the pool (not heated!); then the show at Treasure Island, Circus Circus, and on to Planet Hollywood (in Ceasar's Palace) for dinner. The mall in there is awesome, with an arched blue sky and painted clouds (Yes boss, I am working! :-). Then we checked out the light display on Fremont St. Wow!

  Las Vegas is both our western-most point; and the lowest point on our tour. About 2,300 foot elevation. (OK, Hoover Dam - about 1200 feet - was actually the lowest point, but we were not there long...) Click for pictures

• April 8: We started east today - a major milestone. Lost an hour as we came into Utah, so we got to Zion National Park after lunch. It is awesome, including the approach to it. After days of being in desert, we headed straight at a mountain, wound through a Canyon, and then followed the Virgin River into the park. It's a beautiful fertile valley with fresh spring green trees against a backdrop of red and white rocks. Lots of B&Bs along the way. We hiked a mile from the end of the road in the park, and saw some deer and really awesome rock walls. Then back on to State Road 9, which climbs over 3,000 feet within the park - including a 1.1 mile long tunnel built in 1930 which has about a half dozen windows carved through the rock wall for light - awesome! We're staying in a nice little motel (the Blue Pine) in the small town of Panguitch, Utah (elev. 6,000+). I had the best Rainbow Trout I've had in years next door at Foy's Country Corner. Yum! Click for pictures
• April 9: Driving through Utah day. It was a long drive - got to Arches National Park about 2pm; but boy, is there ever scenery in Utah! The digital camera does not really capture the vistas. We'll have to see how the panoramics turn out. We stopped once at an overlook, and the scenery just kept coming after that. Wow! It was also quite desolate and vast; and very windy - lots of tumbleweeds. Arches was impressive, and we ended the day with a ranger talk on desert plant and animal life: appropriate after all the desert we have crossed through! We spent the night in Moab at an old- fashioned motel without a phone. Hence, this update is late. Click for pictures
• April 10: We ended up just driving back to Boulder/Louisville today. The first dinosaur museum we tried went out of business. The next two places were closed on Monday. So we just came on in - about 400 miles today. Over Vail pass at ~10,100 ft; then the Eisenhower Tunnel at 11,000+. Quite a workout for our poor loaded down car! It was snowing at Eisenhower tunnel, but the road was fine. Ski report: Vail was open but looked pretty bad. Copper Mountain was open and looked pretty good. Loveland was open and in the middle of the blizzard.

  We'll be here until Friday, when we leave for the next leg: Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and on home. So, no need to check in with us for a few days - although we may still take some photos of our temporary home... Click for pictures No scenery here! Photos for April 11-13

• April 14-15: Left Colorado yesterday. Drove all day to Grand Island, NE. Today, Saturday, we came on to Nevada, Iowa (outside Ames - and that's pronounced Nevayda; not like the state!) where Henry has some old Air Force buddies. The weather has turned cold again. We hope we'll avoid snow tomorrow on the way to Madison. Click for pictures
• April 16: Left Nevada, IA, after a wonderful brunch (just roll us out the door...). We drove through a variety of lovely downpours on the way to Madison; also through some very FRAGRANT farm country. P-U, says Lauren. You have to realize we've barely seen rain since we got to Boulder (ok, except for a few thunderstorms at the end of the summer). And remember all the luggage on top of the car? Turns out that carrier is NOT waterproof. Sigh. The damage was not too great... just the bathroom stuff - which is designed to get wet; and some cereal boxes. Arrived at the Baum house in time for Bryan to freeze while grilling some delicious chicken. Nice grill, Bryan! Click for pictures
• April 17: Mommy spent the day visiting at the University of Madison while Lauren and Carolyn continued to play up a storm. Click for pictures
• April 18: Today we drove to Naperville, IL, in a continuing overcast to visit my brother. We had lunch with a distant cousin (how does that go again?) at Fermilab where he works, then toured the place. Pretty impressive! Tomorrow we're off to Michigan for the last visit on this extended tour. Click for pictures
• April 19:Back in the Eastern Time Zone! Click for pictures
• April 20-21:A few days without driving. Click for pictures
• April 22:Family time at Easter. Click for pictures
• April 24:Home at last!!!!!! Click for pictures
• April 27:Back to work - sort of. Today Lin give a presentation for Take Our Daughters to Work Day - to a group of twenty 10-11 year old boys. Talk about rowdy! Click for pictures