KIMBALL CLASS OF 60, BOISE, IDAHO—AUGUST 7-9, 2009

Old friends from Hank’s high school class gathered together in Boise.  Bob and Pam shared their lovely home and yard with us and arranged a week of special activities.  Hank and I were the first to arrive and stayed in a campground less than a mile from their house.  They cooked us a delicious dinner Friday night and we anxiously awaited the arrival of the rest of the gang the next day.

Jack (who drove all the way from Michigan!), Bob and Hank on the back porch.

We took a long bike ride on the path that runs along the Boise River.  This path runs for several miles and is used by many.  Jack, Bob and Hank actually rode all the way into Boise.  Here is a photo of Bob, Jack, Hank and Pam on one of the bridges over the river.

Frank and Kristi flew in from Michigan late Friday night and spent the morning sight-seeing.

Rick and Carol flew in from San Diego and joined us Saturday afternoon.

We enjoyed dinner at a Brewery in downtown Boise and then spent some time walking around the city.  There’s a beautiful fountain in the town square and it was nice to see so many people enjoying the city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bob and Pam are part of a neighborhood group that makes their own wine.  We enjoyed many of their vintages while there.  Bob proudly showed us the wine cellar he has constructed under their pantry.

 

Frank explores

 

 

 

 

and Rick too.

 

 

 

 

On Sunday, we visited their winery in the garage across the street and took part in a “topping” ceremony.  Lee, the neighbor who started the winery, siphoned wine out of several barrels to see how they were coming along.  We sampled many and Hank and I liked the Boisique the best—this is their own special blend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They even have their own label!

Dave and Carol drove in from Seattle and, sadly, arrived after the wine-tasting.

Such fun to be together and we had lots of catching up to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, our group will head north to McCall, Idaho to continue the fun.

HEADING WEST, AUG. 1-6, 2009

 

We hugged Ben and Emily good-bye at the wedding and set out the next morning to start our journey west.  It feels so good to be on the road again.  We were home all summer with Hank’s surgery and rehab.  In fact, when we began packing the coach, we found that wasps had built many nests under our awnings, in our mirrors and in our furnace vents.  Wasp spray took care of that!

We spent our first night in Des Moines, Iowa.  There was a Nascar race nearby and all the campgrounds were quite full.  Lots of well-kept farms and tall, tall corn along the highway.  We are traveling an average of 300 miles a day.  It’s nice to settle in early afternoon and have a chance to relax or explore the area we are in. 

Next night we stayed at Windmill Recreation Area in Gibbon, Nebraska.  We had this spacious park almost to ourselves.  We rode our bikes in search of the windmills featured there.

Speaking of windmills, we began to see many modern-day windmills dotting the plains the further west we went.  They made me think we were in a Stephen King story with monsters marching towards us.

The farms gave way to plains and rolling foothills and we commented that we understood the term “big sky”.  It’s amazing how far you can see in every direction.  We settled in Cheyenne and went into the city to visit the Big Boy steam locomotive and railroad museum there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please read Hank’s blog at rvthereyethank.blogspot.com to read his commentary on the engine and museum.  Both were very interesting and demonstrated the important role that the railroads played in settling the west.

We encountered our first antelope, heavy winds, dust storms and a 5% grade in Wyoming.  We also began to see numerous huge snow fences and can only imagine what winter must be like in these vast, open areas.  They even have gates to close the expressways in case of bad storms.

 

We spent 2 nights in Lyman, Wyoming and took a day to explore Fort Bridger.  The early fort and settlement have been rebuilt and made real what life must have been like for the early pioneers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seeing the covered wagon made us realize these families traveled west in a vehicle that isn’t even as large as our living room in our motorhome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few of my favorite “on the road” photos—literally taken through the front windshield of the motorhome.  Hope they will give you some idea of what we’ve seen during this first week of traveling west.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEAN & DEANNA’S WEDDING DAY, JULY 31, 2009

 

We started our trip west by heading for Chicago and the wedding of our former neighbor’s son.  But FIRST, we had to say good-bye to Jack and Molly.

 

Sean’s wedding was held outside at Silver Lake Country Club—finally one of the Gordon brothers got lucky with the weather.  Beautiful setting!

 

                               Emily and Ben.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rita and Sean’s brother, Bill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Sean’s brother, Eric, and his family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hank helps Bill put on his boutonniere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

               Sean and his Dad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Young Bill walks Judy up the aisle with Dad behind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                    Ben escorts a bridesmaid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eric’s daughter, Grace, is a lovely flower girl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                       Deanna and her Dad come down the aisle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deanna and Sean exchange vows and rings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          We’re married!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deanna and Sean on the dance floor.

 

                                Sean dances with his Mom, Judy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grandpa Bill and Grace at the reception.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judy, Bill, Hank and Marge.  It was so good to share in such a happy and special day.  We wish Sean and Deanna and Sean much love and laughter in their married life.