Great Journey West!

 all writing is copyrighted 2007

Saturday, July 17th

"We preceded" this school year's educational vacation with an IMAX movie at Exploris Museum in Raleigh, NC about Lewis and Clark's Expedition called "The Great Journey West". So, that is what we decided to name our trip. Although we will be visiting extended family and learning about the places we go and other things along the way, we really look forward to learning more about Lewis and Clark's westward expansion.

Wednesday, July 21st

Early this morning we started our "Great Journey West" trip. We traveled through North Carolina and camped in Tennessee. Since this is an educational trip, we read, drew, studied maps, listened to guitar classics and a G.A. Henty story called "Frontier Girl". Mom read aloud "From Sea to Shining Sea", "A Tale of The Western Plains" by G.A.Henty, "Wild Days" and "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain". "Abandoned On the Wild Frontier" and "Our Only May Amelia" are books that we read quietly and alone. We took walks at the rest areas and at the campground in Tennessee. We also began practicing guitar chords with Dad, so we can take lessons in the fall.

Thursday, July 22nd

We traveled on through Tennessee and into Little Rock, Arkansas where our oldest brother and his family are stationed for the summer, for his aircraft commander training. He is a C-130 pilot in the USAF. We were given permission to camp by the tennis courts, "right next door" to their apartment. While riding in the car on the way there we enjoyed learning and refreshing our memories about Tennessee, Arkansas and some of the other places we will be visiting along the way. We read, drew, colored and had a lot of fun. We read about "The Dawn's Early Light" and sang "The Star Spangled Banner". Today was a very hot and sunny day. It is hot in the camper with no electricity tonight, although we do have battery powered fans.

Friday, July 23rd

Our sister-in-law and three young nieces went with us to the Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock and learned about how the people lived in the 1800s. We love living history museums. A young boy dressed in period costume showed us things he had made from cow horns: a powder horn, a comb, a spoon and cup. After watching a movie and a guided tour of homes, gardens and the print shop we bought a basket weaving kit and a Lewis and Clark CD in the gift shop. Then we went downtown to eat. Back at the camper, we practiced guitar and drew and colored in our map books while our nieces took their naps. Later we had fun swimming at the pool with our nieces and watching C-130's fly over. Maybe our brother was flying one of them.

Saturday, July 24th

For breakfast we enjoyed donuts at our "little house on wheels" (as Mom likes to call our camper) with our brother's family, then we relaxed in their apartment. After lunch and watermelon we said our goodbyes and started traveling to Dallas, Texas where we will see our other brother's wife. She is alone while he is at the Air Force Academy for his five weeks Reserves assignment. While traveling, we read and studied maps and about Arkansas in "50 States Under God". Everyone really likes listening to Mom read "A Tale of the Western Plains"- a real life cowboy story. While listening to guitar classics we practiced upside down drawing. Your right brain takes over and your drawing is better. Today we had a lot of fun!

Sunday, July 25th

This morning we picked up our sister-in-law from her apartment and attended worship service at the Reformed Episcopal church they have been attending called "Church of the Holy Communion". Then we took her out for lunch and shopping for maternity clothes at the Galleria Mall. They are expecting their first baby in February, so we brought the rocking chair that her mother had rocked her in and our Grandmother's 75 year old hand made baby crib that has been used for 4 generations of babies. Dad put together some shelves at their apartment at Dallas Theological Seminary, while we visited. Then we said goodbye and went back to our campground where we took a nature walk and found many interesting plants. Some of them are Milkweed, Brown-Eyed Susans and Purple Passionflower. We enjoyed practicing guitar.

Monday, July 26th

This morning as we traveled through the rest of Texas and into New Mexico, we read, drew, journaled and looked at the wonderful flat land. We read aloud from "50 States Under God", Mom read aloud "From Sea to Shining Sea", "A Tale of the Western Plains" and "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain". We also colored and did activities in the "From Sea to Shining Sea" activity book. In "50 States Under God", we read about how 33 camels had been sent to Texas from Egypt in 1855 to be used like horses, and a little while later we saw a camel on someone's farm! It is so wonderful and amazing how God supplied the visuals and timed it just right! Now, we have been to Texas before and never seen a camel in a pasture! We also saw lots of antelope roaming around. At a roadside stand we bought peaches, squash, onions, watermelon and cantaloupe.

After having a delicious supper at The Big Texan Steakhouse, we went in the gift shop and sat with Mom in a HUGE rocking chair. As we were driving out of the restaurant parking lot we saw a jack rabbit with long legs. Today we had a busy and fun day of travel and learning and camped in New Mexico at a state park.

Tuesday, July 27th

One sister's adventure with Dad:

Early this morning Dad and I went out for a hike at Clayton Lake State Park, New Mexico where we were camping. It was a beautiful, exciting nature walk around a lake. We saw mule deer, rabbits, wild flowers and rocks with lichen on them. We studied the lichen. Dad saw a mouse hiding in some sandstone rock, which may have piled up from the great flood of Noah's day. I really enjoy adventurous nature walks. After an almost 3 hour hike we packed up the camper to leave.

Another sister's adventure with Mom:

Mom and and I walked up to the museum at the Clayton Lake State Park in NM and watched a video about the dinosaur tracks at the park, while Dad and my sister took an early 5 mile walk around the lake and actually saw the tracks. Then we cleaned up in the camper.

Back together again we packed and left to be on our way to Colorado Springs in Colorado where our brother is staying at the USAF Academy for his USAF Reserves active duty training assignment in the chaplain program. While traveling, we read maps and books, colored, drew, sang and had a fun, enjoyable time. After picking up our brother and touring a little around the Air Force Academy, we took him to "Flying W Ranch" for a yummy cowboy chuck wagon supper and fantastic western style stage show. After taking him back to his apartment and visiting we went back to the military campground. What a VERY fun day!

Wednesday, July 28th

This morning we went to Garden of the gods, a beautiful 1,367 acre park at the base of Pike's Peak where the Great Plains meets the Rocky Mountains. We took a tour bus and saw towering red sandstone rock formations in different shapes. The names of some that we saw are called Kissing Camels, Balanced Rock and the Tower of Babel. Then we did a walking tour of Rock Ledge Ranch. This is a living history museum and working ranch where tour guides dressed in period clothing depict pioneer life from an 1860s homestead, an1880's farm and a 1907 estate house. One of the tour guides was a 16 year old homeschooled girl. We enjoyed talking with her. They wore a crocheted hair net called a "snood" and promised to mail us a pattern.

After that we went to Focus on the Family where we slid down a 75-foot slide and enjoyed the book store. Later we picked up our brother at the Air Force Academy and went to see the Cadet Chapel and the visitor center. We went out to eat at Panera Bread, where Dad and Mom checked emails, and we did our journaling.

Thursday, July 29th

This morning we drove the Pikes Peak Highway to the summit. About half of the 19 mile drive was on a dirt road. It was a beautiful drive up and down the mountain. We saw Bighorn sheep. There were patches of snow at the 14,100 ft summit where the view inspired poet Katherine Lee Bates in 1893 to write "America The Beautiful". Then we drove back to the campground where we hooked up and went to Cheyenne, Wyoming where we will be staying for two nights at "Terry Bison Ranch", a dude ranch with a herd of bison, camels, cows, horses, ponies, and ostriches. While on the road we read about Wyoming in our "50 States Under God" workbook and studied and highlighted our route on our maps. It was fun singing along with the "Old Time Favorites" CD and songbook that we purchased at the Rock Ledge Ranch Country Store. We also read alone some and aloud from "A Tale of the Western Plains" and "From Sea to Shining Sea". After arriving at the campground we enjoyed walking around, taking pictures and looking at the animals.

Friday, July 30th

God Is So Good! His timing is perfect! This last week of July just happens to be "Cheyenne Frontier Days". This morning we went to a free pancake breakfast in downtown Cheyenne. They mix the pancake batter in a cement mixer. We watched cowboys singing and Indian dancers while we ate. After breakfast we took a tour of Frontier Park and got to see what they do behind the chutes of a rodeo. After that we enjoyed the exhibits and the Indian village until time to watch the rodeo. From about 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm we watched the "Daddy of 'em All" rodeo. WOW!! There was bull riding, steer wrestling, roping, bronco riding and trick riding. We saw cowboys and cowgirls on horses and bulls. The rodeo clown, Flint, was very funny! We all had a ball! It was very interesting to watch a thunderstorm that went around us in the distance as we watched the rodeo. Afterwards, we all went back to the Indian village for supper. Dad had a Buffalo burger and we had Indian Tacos. Back at the dude ranch campground we practiced guitar and Dad played, too.

Saturday, July 31st

This morning we took a short walk around the campground before driving to Salt Lake City, Utah where we camped at Antelope Island State Park which is in the Great Salt Lake. John C. Fremont and Kit Carson explored the island in 1845 and named it for the antelope that roam freely. There are also bison, bobcats, coyotes and lots of seagulls- the state bird. Imagine that, so far from the sea! We saw antelope, deer and lots of bison. While traveling along the way there, we saw some little prairie dogs, which ate bread and apples right out of our hands. That was at a rest area at Echo Canyon, where there are towering walls of red rock. We enjoyed reading in the car. Today was a fun day of sightseeing.

Sunday, August 1st

Today we attended worship service at Washington Heights Baptist Church; not easy to find in a Mormon city. After lunch and returning to the campground we went swimming in the Great Salt Lake. It has eight times more salt than the ocean in some places. The salt makes you float. It was fun but sticky and dirty. You really couldn't sink! We then had some ice cream and went to the park visitor center where we turned in our Junior Ranger Program booklet and received our badges. Junior Ranger programs are really fun and educational for the whole family, no matter what the ages. Riding around the state park we saw lots of bison, antelope, gophers, a snake, owls and jackrabbits. Dad played guitar with us. We finished reading aloud "From Sea to Shining Sea" and Mom read aloud about Mormons and Utah from "The Christian Travelers' Companion" and "Lies Across America".

Monday, August 2nd

Early this morning we took a beautiful horseback riding tour where we saw bison, antelope, mule deer and a coyote. Mom rode Navajo, a gray horse that had been in the movie "Sarah, Plain and Tall". Bill and Blacky, two other horses that we rode had just come back from Tennessee where they had been in a movie called "The Worth and the Glory" about the Mormons. Another horse had just come back from a rodeo. While riding we saw antelope, bison and a coyote in the hilly pastures and fields we rode through.

We hitched up the camper and drove south and west around the Great Salt Lake through the Bonneville Salt Flats on our way to Idaho. We stopped for lunch in Nevada and went in two huge grand casino lobbies just to look around and eat at the food court. While traveling it was interesting to read about Kit Carson and John Charles Fremont (who made the first known Anglo exploration of Antelope Island in 1845) and Brigham Young (founder of Salt Lake City and Mormon leader) from two books: "Pioneers" and "Leaders of the Frontier". Mom read aloud the G. A. Henty cowboy story "A Tale of the Western Plains" and we colored and did activities for Nevada and Utah in our "50 States Under God" workbooks. "Our Only May Amelia" was about a pioneer girl in Washington state who had seven brothers and no other girls in town. One day a new girl moved to town. She was a good influence on May, who wanted to act and dress like a boy.

We drove through beautiful countryside with plains, mountains, cliffs and waterfalls. We also saw elk (mostly cows- meaning females and their babies). We are camping at Three Island Crossings State Park in Glenns Ferry, Idaho, by the Snake River. Dad started a campfire and we made S'mores and played guitar.

Tuesday, August 3rd

This morning we had pancakes, bacon and eggs for breakfast. Then after reading and doing activities in our "50 States Under God" workbook, we all enjoyed taking a little walk along the Snake River and saw the old Glenns Ferry Crossing. Then we took a drive around the state park. After an early lunch we hitched up and drove into Oregon along the Snake River through the beautiful mountains, then along the Columbia River where Lewis and Clark traveled on their expedition to the Pacific Ocean. There were two huge dams and hydroelectric plants with locks (water elevators for the boats). We saw barges and windsurfers on the rivers and majestic Mount Hood with it's 11,245 ft. elevation.

We also enjoyed reading, drawing and working on our nature journals. Mom read aloud from "A Tale of the Western Plains". Tonight we are camping in Memaloose State Park in the Columbia River in Oregon. We practiced guitar while Dad grilled venison steak and while Mom made squash, green beans and potatoes for a delicious dinner.

Wednesday, August 4th

This morning we took a little walk with Dad by the Columbia River where we saw a tugboat and barges. Then we drove to Washington and camped at a State Park near Mount St. Helens. While driving along by the side of the Columbia River we read about Lewis and Clark's great journey west and imagined them down there on the river (only with no highways, train tracks, factories, dams, powerplants, locks, barges, boats, windsurfers and houses). WOW!! Our journey is so much easier, thanks to them for westward expansion!

After unhitching at a state park campground near Mount St. Helens and lunch we drove to a few visitor centers and watched movies about the eruption of this volcano in 1980. It was not the same as in Hawaii where there is mostly liquid lava. Mount St. Helens was a mudslide of ash and the eruption wiped out most of the plants and animals in the blast zone. We drove through clouds. The Junior Ranger Program taught us that the Raven is the most common bird that returned to Mount St. Helens since the eruptions. The raven is successful because they are not picky eaters.

Back at the camper Mom fixed hot dogs and beans while we enjoyed reading, journaling and practicing guitar. We read aloud from "Mountain Of Fire", a great creation adventure series book about Mount St. Helens. We had a fascinating day of seeing God's wonders.

Thursday, August 5th

After having breakfast at McDonalds we drove to downtown Astoria, Oregon, to the Chamber of Commerce for information. While Dad checked e-mails at a local library the rest of us went to a little thrift shop. After that we all went to Seaside to see the Pacific Ocean. "Ocean in view! O! The joy!" (quote from Clark's journal) We enjoyed lunch at a seafood restaurant by the sea and took a stroll along the beach where the water was really cold and there were no seashells at all. There were harbor seals at the Seaside Aquarium and we could see them as we walked along the boardwalk.

"We proceeded on" (another of Clark's quotes) to Fort Clatsop where Lewis and Clark built their winter homes and stayed for 106 days as they prepared for their return trip home and organized their journals and maps. They boiled water at Seaside, Oregon to obtain salt for use at the fort and for their return journey. There was an event called the "Star Spangled Banner" in which we participated in by helping to fold the 15 stars and stripes flag. Our family watched a movie called "We Proceeded On..." and a slide show called "The Farthest Reach". We did the Junior Ranger Program and received a certificate, a pin with an elk skin pinned on it. We learned that when Lewis and Clark and the rest of the crew built their winter homes, they put the fire places in the center of the rooms so that each person could get the same amount of heat, but they were moved to the back wall for more efficiency. As we drove back to the campground in Washington, Mom finished reading aloud "A Tale Of The Western Plains", a book by G.A. Henty about real cowboy life. We all really enjoyed that book.

Friday, August 6th

This morning we started our homeward journey (back east). It was rainy, just as Lewis and Clark had experienced when they started their homeward journey. We drove through Mt. Ranier National Park, but it was too rainy and cloudy to see. The drive was very scary and tense pulling the camper by great gorges and waterfalls. One of the falls was right by the side of the road. While traveling we read, sang and listened to CD's about Lewis and Clark's Journey. The CD and book by Bobby Horton called "Songs of the Journey" is the best! The songs are catchy and fun to sing along with and tell the story so well. We read aloud from "Pioneers" about Wild Bill Hickock, the Whitmans, Buffalo Bill Cody and George Rogers Clark. Mom also read aloud "As Far as the Eye Can Reach", about Lewis and Clark's Westward Quest. She also read aloud from "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain". It is fun to put to use the drawing techniques in our nature journals and other things we do. Today we traveled across Washington, through Idaho and into Montana.

Saturday, August 7th

This morning we had a delicious pancake, egg and bacon breakfast and did a few things around the campground as well as laundry and cleaning up in the camper before heading to Yellowstone National Park where we will be staying for a couple of nights at the Mammoth Campground. At the campground amphitheater, we went to a Ranger Program about bears. While riding around Yellowstone Park we saw a lot of elk up close. They were tall. Our drive today was through beautiful mountains and plains. We traveled through Montana and into Wyoming. While traveling we read, colored and did entries in our nature journals about mule deer and bitterroot plants. We read about Charles M. Russel, a cowboy artist who moved to Montana at 16 years old and we studied 6 of his paintings. We read alone from a new reading book called "Sacagawea's Son", we bought along the way and from a magazine about Yellowstone. Mom finished reading aloud "As Far As The Eye Can Reach". We colored Montana in our state coloring books, and we also studied maps. It was very exciting entering Yellowstone National Park because we had been anticipating it so long.

Sunday, August 8th

Today we went to an early worship service at the Yellowstone Park Chapel. Three college and seminary students lead the interdenominational services called "A Christian Ministry in Yellowstone National Park". After church we rode around Yellowstone National Park on a bear hunt. We saw three black bears and one was right by the roadside. We also saw trumpeter swans, geese, ospreys, ravens, red tail hawks, ground squirrels, deer, elk and bison. We started the Junior Ranger booklet that we will be finishing tomorrow. We went to some of the geysers. Wow! Steamboat Geyser is neat! We also saw lots of waterfalls. Shopping at a few of the gift shops was fun. After going to see "Yellowstone" at the IMAX, we had supper and while driving back to the campground we saw two bison. It was dark and a huge male bison was just standing in the middle of the road and came within inches of ramming the car. We had a very interesting, up close and personal experience with the bison. Today we had a lot of fun sightseeing.

Monday, August 9th

Today is Mom's birthday. Early this morning we moved the camper to another campground where we can hook up water and electricity because the battery was dead. After that we had breakfast before heading back out to see more of Yellowstone. We saw large herds of bison, antelope, deer and lots of elk. We also saw mule deer, ravens and many more interesting animals. We went to Old Faithful and saw and amazing geyser eruption. WOW! There at the visitor's center we ran into a family from our homeschool group back home. Small world!. We also went to The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The rocks are beautiful colors including shades of yellow! It is easy to see why it is called that! We saw fascinating waterfalls. We enjoyed shopping in a couple of gift shops. For Mom's birthday, we had ice cream. It was delicious! Today we enjoyed riding around and sightseeing.

Tuesday, August 10th

This morning we hooked up the camper and headed toward Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. On the way we stopped at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. We did the junior ranger program. While traveling, we read alone and aloud from "Sacagawea's Son"and "Attack in the Rye Grass". Mom read aloud from "Sounding Forth the Trumpet", "Days of Praise" and 'Winds in the Woods-The Story of John Muir" who was known as the father of our National Parks. We read aloud "50 States Under God" and traced our route to South Dakota. We also listened to CDs called "Tales of Yellowstone" and "Lewis and Clarks- Songs of the Journey". Tonight we are camping at a campground with mostly motorcyclists in Deadwood, SD. We're in the middle of a biker's rally! We seem to be the only people who are not dressed in black leather! Dad built a nice campfire and we practiced guitar.

Wednesday, August 11th

It was so cold it frosted last night! IN AUGUST! INCREDIBLE! The bikers must be frozen, it has been so cold and windy! This morning Mom made a delicious pancake, egg and bacon breakfast. Then we headed to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. We did the Ranger program, for people over the junior age. The park rangers have to do the booklet before getting a job at Mount Rushmore. Then we traveled on to Chamberlain, South Dakota, where we're camping for the night by the banks of the Missouri River like Lewis and Clark did. We had a bowl of venison chili by the campfire and S'mores and practiced guitar. While traveling we enjoyed reading aloud. Mom read aloud from Sounding Forth the Trumpet" and "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain". We read aloud from "Leaders of the Frontier" about John James Audubon and "Joy at Mount Rushmore", "A Sculptor's Son- Lincoln Borglum and Mount Rushmore" and "50 States Under God".

Thursday, August 12th

This morning we started out early. We had breakfast at McDonald's. Then we headed off to Sioux City, Iowa and stopped at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in the area of Sergeant Floyd's grave,the only man who died on the expedition. It was along the Missouri river (which we camped along last night).There were many interactive exhibits. At the Interpretive Center we watched a movie about Lewis and Clark's Great expedition. While traveling we read, colored and listened to music. Mom read aloud from "Sounding Forth The Trumpet" and "Day's of Praise". We read alone and aloud "Sacagawea's Son" and "Attack in the Rye Grass". We did activities in "50 States Under God". We all enjoyed listening to and singing along to "Lewis and Clarks-Songs of the Journey." We then drove on through Nebraska and as far as we could through Missouri; traveling late because we wanted to get close to St. Louis so we can enjoy it tomorrow.

Friday, August 13th

Today we traveled to St. Louis, Missouri where we rode a tram to the top of the 630 ft. Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Gateway Arch and enjoyed the Museum of Westward Expansion. From the top we could see all around the town, tops of the buildings, Mississippi River and the swimming pools on top of hotel buildings. Then "we proceeded on" to Frankfort, KY where we had a nice campfire and practiced guitar. While traveling we enjoyed maps and music. Mom read aloud from "Days of Praise" and "Sounding Forth the Trumpet." We read aloud from 'Jed Smith- Trailblazer of the West", "The Lewis and Clark Trail, Then and Now" and did activities in "50 States Under God". There was also time for reading alone. We heard on the news that Hurricane Charley hit the Florida coast and seems to be moving up the I-95 corridor.

Saturday, August 14th

Hurricane Charley passed quickly without major damage in North Carolina, so "we proceeded on" home, arriving about 11:35 p.m. While traveling we read and drew. Mom read aloud "Days of Praise" and "Sounding Forth The Trumpet". We read aloud "Jed Smith- Trailblazer of the West", did activities in "50 States Under God". The whole family enjoyed listening to "The Lewis and Clark Trail - Then and Now" and singing along to music in the car.It was good to read and study about the places we have been and about the people who opened the way to our "Manifest Destiny". This has truly been a great journey west and homeward! As always, it's good to see home again. Home "in view! O! The joy!"

We take along crates and bookbags full of books for the journeys we take.

Resources for our

Great Journey West

Fifty States Under God By Joy Dean

Children's Atlas of the United States By Elizabeth Fagon Adelman

From Sea to Shining Sea By Peter Marshall and David Manuel

Sounding Forth the Trumpet By Peter Marshall and David Manuel

The Christian Traveler's Companion By S. Eckert and William J. Peterson

Lies Across America By James W. Loewe

Pioneers By Robin King

Leaders of the Frontier By Beckley- Cardy Company

Mountain of Fire By Paul Thomsen

Along the Trail with Lewis and Clark -Travel Planner Guide By Barbara Fifer

The Lewis and Clark Trail Then and Now By Dorthy Hinshaw Patent

Songs of the Journey Lewis and Clark CD and Book by Bobby Horton

Lewis and Clark Sounds of Discovery CD by Chairmaker's Rush

Kids Discover Magazine about Lewis and Clark By Kathy Wilmore

As We Crossed the West - The Adventures of Lewis and Clark By Rosalyn Schanzer

As Far As the Eye Can Reach By Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

Meriwether Lewis By Janet and Geoff Benge

Sacagawea's Son By Marion Tinling

The Value of Adventure- The Story of Sacagawea By Anna Donegon Johnson

Wind in the Woods- The Story of John Muir By John Stewert

Tales of the Yellowstone CD narrated by Tom Duncan

A Sculptor's Son- Lincoln Borglum By T.D. Griffith

Joy at Mount Rushmore By Mary Maruca

Attack in the Rye Grass By Dave and Neta Jackson

Abandoned on the Wild Frontier By Dave and Neta Jackson

Jed Smith Trailblazer of the West By Frank Latham

A Tale of the Western Plains By G.A. Henty

G.A. Henty Short Story Collection CD Read by Jim Weiss

Old Time Gospel Favorites CD and Hymn book by Wayne Erbsen

Wild Days By Karen Skidmore Rackliffle

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain By Betty Edwards

Western Painting Cards of Charles M. Russell By Dover Publications, Inc

Our Only May Amelia By Jennifer L. Holm

The Worst Case Scenario-Survival Handbook:By Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht

Kids Survival Handbook By Claire Llewellyn

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