Exploring America 2005

Last year we decided the kids were getting old enough that they might actually enjoy taking a long-ish roadtrip to go somewhere. Caleb was the most interested in planning, so we let him pick where to go. He chose Mt. Rushmore, so we spent a week in the Black Hills (staying at The High Country Ranch in Hill City, SD) and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. We took a couple days going (by way of Colorado and Nebraska) and coming (by way of Wyoming).

This year Meghan is suddenly much more interested in planning the family trip. It looks like a summer roadtrip, to a destination selected by one of the kids (with parents retaining their veto perogative), will probably become a Cleverly family tradition.

A couple of weeks ago I helped her find the official State Department of Tourism websites for Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon so she could request free information packets. (It was really exciting when Caleb got a whole big envelope full of stuff from South Dakota last spring.)

Meghan announced this morning that we were going to go to Oregon and then come home by way of Northern California. I suspect she was swayed to Oregon by the fact that her good friend Dani recently quit working at Deseret Book and moved (back) to Portland.

Besides Portland and the beach (Astoria probably?), other possible destinations appear to include: Crater Lake National Park and Oregon Caves National Monument. Once we get to Northern California: Redwood National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park.

We'll also stop by to see old friends from college who are living in the Bay Area (Karl & Jolene and PJ & Pili), I'm sure.

There is still a lot to research, plan and explore. Suggestions on things to see are always welcomed.


—Michael A. Cleverly

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