We’re about halfway through the trip to see a few sites along the Oregon Trail. We finally found a wireless hotspot in Casper, WY… in a Jehovah’s Witness temple’s parking lot, no less, that I discovered while waiting out a huge storm that passed though here yesterday. I came back here this morning to upload a few pics.
More details, pics, and video to follow (of course)!
Sunday July 22, Cheyenne Frontier Days…
Rather than continue to sit around and watch Mom work, the kids and me are heading northward this Saturday up to the North Platte River in NW Nebraska to see parts of the emigrant trails taken westward by over 1/2 million homesteaders, 49-ers, trappers, Mormons, and traders in the 19th century. In the course of a handful of days, we can see several vestiges and landmarks along the Trail (even some surviving wagon wheel ruts), along with good museums (and the occasional roadside oddity).
Our kids are sure to learn something along the way. We’re even taking along Logan’s best friend, Sage, who can hardly wait to go. In this day and age of GameBoy and PlayStation mind-rot, it’s encouraging to see a kid get excited about a good old-fashioned road trip. I’m reading up on what I can to be a halfway knowledgeable “tour guide”, and I’m taking pioneer diaries and stories to read while we’re there. Our “SpaceShip” bus should make slightly better time that the prairie schooner of yore!
Here’s a list of things we might do.
We’ll no doubt be able to do them all this time. But, we’ll see where the Trail leads us. If I find some WiFi access points along the way, I’ll post some updates here on the blog. We’re meeting up with busnut Craig Shepard (gumpy) and his family… and hopefully some other busnuts the last week in July near Encampment, WY for some trout fishing. At some point, Sage’s folks and brother will meet us up near Saratoga for even more trout fishing.
Wagons HO!
Yesterday, the kids and I headed to Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall to drop of some Beeriodic posters at Science Artwork, a great little store there that sells our great little poster. Along the way, we stumbled upon a street performer that was just getting started with his act. Naturally, we had to stay and see it. And naturally, Caden was picked to be his “assistant”. And naturally, I had my camera.
The performer was talented and funny. He deservedly raked in some cash after dazzling us all with his skills, wit, and humor.
On Friday, June 22nd, we met up with some Twin Cities, MN- area busnuts on our way up to a graduation party there that weekend. We jokingly called it the “Brian’s Busnut Bash”, since we were all named Brian, less Craig Shepard… but his son is named Brian, so he said the name should stick.
B. Diehl had graciously offered to have the bash at his house in Maple Grove. But Darlene “wondered” whether there would be much for the kids (and her) to do there while a bunch of guys sat around and discussed engines, transmissions, two-strokes vs. four-strokes, Jake Brakes, latching relays, and other fascinating topics. In perusing Google Earth a few days before, I found a large lake and park just a few blocks from the Diehl’s, so we all met up there that afternoon, at Fish Lake Regional Park.
B. Elfert brought his Dina Viaggio coach. Dad of B. Shepherd brought his “slightly modified” MC9. B. Brown and family obviously brought their GMC 4108. But B. Diehl and wife Hillary could only bring their pickup (and hamburger meat and hot dogs - thanks!), since he said he’d have to do the “Fred Flintstone thing” to get it there, since their MCI 96A3 conversion is in its last throes of a major re-power project.
