Day 2

Day 2 started off with the typical hotel continental breakfast of make-them-yourself waffles and orange juice. The kids had hard boiled eggs, toast, and other fun stuff. Driving across Nevada isn't too exciting, not much to say about the landscape. Except that we often felt we were making our way across the dust bowl with the Joads.

Here's a highlight: we stopped for gas in Sparks, NV, and saw this beautiful sight! This truck, as well as its trailer,was decorated top to bottom (literally) with knick knacks, household implements, and bling. We had to stop and look.

Lunch was another "picnic" in the middle of absolute nowhere, NV. Windy as all get out.

Another highlight: crossing the California Agricultural Inspection Station at the same time as the Joads! And, no we didn't plan it. We heard the Joads being stopped by the inspectors on the CD, and not minutes later we were surprised by the same thing.
Shortly after entering California, we climbed into the mountains, and decided it was time to stop. We came across a sweet little park, Donner Lake State Park. This beautiful mountain lake enetertained us for hours, and  we could have stayed for hours more. We would definitely be here, camping a lot if we lived closer ;-p

Giant pine cones, relatively warm water, beautiful rocky and sandy beaches.

Down the mountain (oh my ears) and past Sacramento to our next hotel. The kids are thrilled to see the plant life :-)

That evening we went out to a chain brewpub for dinner, and then the kids and I had a relaxing swim in the pool.
 Vacaville, CA

Day 1

Started out this morning on our big trip for the summer. We decided to take the northern route on the way out, so we headed up I-25 in John's BMW. Picnic lunch at a sweet park in Laramie with a playground and small water park. Listening to The Grapes of Wrath (in honor of our destination) on audiobook, I could find a lot of parallels to current times. In the start of the story, the bank sends many of the tenant farmers away, yet no one person is willing to take the blame. It is always blamed on the next person "up". Families loosing the homes they built with their own hands, and lived in for generations. The dryness. The desolation, and giving up of hope. I also just finished my last book club book, Cry the Beloved Country this morning (it had to go back to the library ;-p)- found a similar theme of the earth loosing fertility - by farming practices and cultural practices. Lots of drama for one day. Dinner in Salt Lake City at Red Rocks Brewpub was yummy. Good beer, good food, nice to get out of the car. Watching the sun set over the Great Salt Lake was an amazing sight. So tired, a super long first day. Shorter day tomorrow, so we can sleep in a bit. Elko NV