Like I said its a really long trip so there is over 100 photos!
We have been so excited for our trip to the Oregon coast for the Holt family reunion! I spent many hours planning, packing, and getting activities ready to entertain the kids for our drive. We turned it into a road trip exploring new country we had never seen. We started our trip by leaving at 5:00 am. We drove through Panaca and Escalante then on to the Extraterrestrial Highway. It was light so we didn't see any UFO's, well, real ones anyways. Jared showed us the road that lead to Area 51.
Jared has stayed here at the Little AlieInn. It was just a few old trailers and thats it!
We stopped at Tonopah, NV for some gas and a break. Then it was back on the road again. Nevada is kind of a long desserty boring drive! Almost right after we passed the California border it turned pretty! We turned on a little highway that had some crazy bumps that felt like a roller coaster! The kids loved it! Jared started to feel sick even and he was driving! We got into the mountains where there were some really big pine trees. We drove around a large beautiful lake called Mono Lake so we stopped for a photo. I couldn't believe there wasn't any boats or people around it was so pretty. I found out it is a dead lake like the Great Salt Lake.
Our first real stop was at Yosemite National Park for lunch. We were so excited to be here but had a hard time finding some picnic tables to eat. What we did find was taken already so we just ate in the car then drove to a pretty lake.
It was quite the canyon to drive up into the park.
The kids were so happy to be out of the car for some play time.
Those large granite rocks were awesome! I could have spent the whole week here! We didn't drive the extra 90 minutes to the famous half dome because we had to much driving to do still. But we got a taste of it and it is gorgeous! After Yosemite we headed on our way through the mountains over to Lake Tahoe which is were we stayed for the night. We enjoyed our little drive through some small towns. One imparticular we fell in love with! I think it was Coleville. There were some really cute houses decorated for Independance Day and there a lot of cows! It looked so festive and fun! I wanted to stay for awhile there.
We enjoyed the nice casino at Lake Tahoe. There were a lot of people there though. It was a little like Vegas only in the gorgeous mountains and overlooking the beautiful lake. At this point I have fallen in love with this part of California. We ate at a good little mexican restaurant and then took the kids swimming to relax after spending at least 10 hours in the car.
The next day we got up and hit the road again for Day 2 of driving. Jared had to stop at a farm right inside the Oregon border so our map took us on some back country highways. It was getting close to lunch and as we were driving through a nice little town I told Jared maybe we should stop but he said we'll keep driving, something else would be down the road. We kept driving through the mountains and never ending beautiful forest and after about an hour and a half we were all getting hungry and there was no town in site. We were getting close to the turn which was looking more like a 40 mile dirt road on the map but it took us right to the farm. Otherwise we would have to drive quite a ways down to I-5 and make our trip longer. But there was probably food that way. Jared said if we don't find food when we pass the road we would just drive to I-5 because there has to be food that way. We came to the road which looked oiled as we passed but pretty narrow and not great. It was about 1 mile later that we found Bartle Lodge. Totally in the middle of nowhere! It looked like a bikers haven but we were so hungry we decided to try it. We were greeted by a sweet old lady who was cooking in the kitchen. Her husband was an old hardcore biker dude who turned out to be our server. He seated us then went to the bar to help someone. Of course I was very hesitant about this place because I love by reviews of everywhere I eat and this place did not come up anywhere on my phone. I barely had service here! I ordered a club sandwich to play it safe with potato salad. Jared got a hamburger, the girls found something they like, and Juel ordered shrimp and fries. Our food came surprisingly quick for just one person cooking and our biker server was really friendly. I wish I would have took his picture! Our food was so good! Everybody loved it all! My potato salad was the best one I have ever had! I wanted to ask for the recipe but figured they wouldn't share. We asked them if they knew of the farm we were going to and they didn't but they said that road is paved all the way but its a logging road. He said it would get us there and save us time. So after our delicious lunch we hit the road again.
Juel LOVES shrimp!
After another long drive through the middle of nowhere but pretty mountains and forests, and lots, I mean lots of lava rock we made it to the pretty little farm. Jared had to put this loader to the test we were buying for the farm. The kids got out of the car to play and blow bubbles. I enjoyed the country view with mount Shasta in the background. There's something about those beautiful snow covered volcanoes that I love.
We made it to Klamath Falls, Oregon in the afternoon. It was surprisingly not very pretty. But it's next to a very large lake that apparently you can't see from town. We decided to go watch Monster's University, which we loved even though we were very tired. After that we ordered some pizza, went swimming at the hotel and called it a night. Then next morning we headed off for our road trip day 3.
We drove up to Crater Lake National Park. It was quite the climb up! This photo is in front of a very, very deep canyon. I think the kids are tired of riding in the car at this point.
We shopped the gift shop and let the kids pick something out then went on to explore and learn about this one of a kind lake. It was a massive volcano that erupted and left a huge and deep crater. It is 2000 feet deep. The blue color comes from the light that is absorbed in the lake making it blue.
There was plenty of snow around to play in even though it was summer and warm.
Juel wanted to Hold up Wizard Island which was made from another volcano erupting after the first big blow.
Then Anna wanted too...
Then Eva did. I love my cute kiddos!
After we finished lunch at crater lake we hit the road again for another long drive to Lincoln Beach. It didn't feel like we were very far away from the beach but our drive down the mountain took forever! We followed a river all the way down and it took us almost four hours before we hit civilization! It was a beautiful drive but holy cow, what a long drive! As we got closer we started to see other people camping or hiking but we didn't see anyone for a very long time!
We finally made it to the beach!!!!! After we stopped at the first place we saw and ate dinner.
We stopped at a seal cave which let us see a lot of seals and sea lions in nature.
Then we drove to our final destination which was the beach house at Depoe Bay, Oregon. After more that 22 house of driving we were so glad to be there! Although we LOVED our little family road trip and the kids were awesome through the whole thing.
The sun was almost setting and everyone was done playing on the beach but nothing would keep my kiddos from jumping right in that cold ocean!
The teens were playing a game of frisbie.
Beautiful View from our place!
Mine and Annas footprints in the sand.
The kids took a bath and got in the hot tub (which became a daily routine). Then they were ready for some games with their cousins.
Day 4: It was Sunday so we all got ready and about 40 of us bombarded a little ward in Lincoln City. It was kind of an older ward and they acted like it was nothing to have us there. They must get a lot of visitors in the summer. It's alway fun to visit new wards, especially in other states. Then after a nice dinner we couldn't keep the kids from the beach so off they went!
Anna is always popping her hip and tilting her head in this cute little pose! Even while flying a kite :)
Day 5: We started the day fairly early with a whale watching tour that we should have seen some whales on but we didn't. Which made it kind of boring. Juel got a little sea sick too, poor kid.
Me and my Daddy! He loves these Holt family reunions!
Finally as we made it back to the marina after a boring ride and Juel got chosen to pull up a crab pot!
We learned all about crabs and even how to hold them. Then Eva got to hold one.
I love Hillary's expression here!
Then the kids got to release them into the see. Eva took one to release and must have got scared because she dropped the thing and it took off on the boat! It was kind of a scary moment until the crab lady caught. It got safely released back into the water.
Then Juel and Jaxson got to catch and learn about plankton. I can't believe that whales live on that stuff! After the boat ride we met up with everyone for a picnic and visited the aquarium.
I tell you, Anna does this everytime!
Unless we tell her not to pose.
Watch for the seal
There it is!
We learned about birds from this lady. The girls were really into it!
The kids playing and having fun.
The aquarium was really not that fun. It was very small and kind of boring. We couldn't wait to get back to the beach!
On Sunday Jared went with the guys to go crab fishing. He had so much fun and wanted us to go so bad but we never found the time. So we cooked up their catch for dinner on Monday.
I couldn't believe Matt knew how to cook them! He said he learned from youtube.
It was also my brother Kevins birthday so we celebrated!
Then we took these cuties for a nice walk on the beach.
As we were walking along I kept seeing something swimming in the shallow water right by the beach. We couldn't tell what it was until I snapped this photo and zoomed in. It was definitely a seal! It was swimming like 15 feet from shore.
Day 6: We had a some choices as to what to do this morning and we chose to visit this air museum just outside of Tillamook. We enjoyed playing in and looking at all of the planes here. It was in an airplane hanger that was built in world war II for a really large blimp.
My Little Eva ready for another big day!
These girls crack me up!
Trying out the pilots beds in a large cargo plane.
Best buddies-Juel and Chase
After the museum we toured the Tillamook Cheese factory.
You even get to sample the cheeses! Yummy! Now thats a lot of free cheese! That place was crowded!
Their Habanero one was so good!
And you have to get some yummy ice cream while your there!
After the cheese factory we drove up to Garibaldi to go for a train ride along the beach which was next to the mountains. It was so pretty!
The conductor came and punched our tickets. Look a that view!
The train stopped at Rockaway beach and let us play and explore for a little bit. It was such a pretty beach! I loved it!
Eva found some broken sand dollars and she even found a baggie to put them in.
On the way back the kids liked to stick their heads out the windows.
and Christopher took a nap.
The big Holt group-I am so blessed to be apart of this awesome family!
On our drive home we stopped at Cape Meares Lighthouse. This little light house that was really hard to find! Most of my family never found it! But we did! It was on a really high cliff.
While there, we knew we weren't far from the famous octopus tree that was on Ripley's believe it or not so we decided to look for it but it was hard to find too! We had almost given up when we found it!
It has an old legend that tree would come to life and crawl into the ocean.
The best part about this little detour was that this was the most beautiful beach I have ever seen! We wanted to spend more time there because of its beauty but we were in charge of dinner and had to get back.
Then the kids went on a treasure hunt!
The map lead them to the beach and they had to dig up their treasure! The little kids found theirs pretty easy but...
The older kids had a really hard time finding theirs. It was buried at least 2 feet deep! And when you don't have shovels thats really deep!
Grandma was watching it all from the house.
Day 7: Our last day at the beac house. we spent most the day relaxing, cleaning, packing and took a little drive along a scenic route to watch for whales, which we never saw! Depoe Bay is supposed to be a whales cove but we never saw one!
We stopped at this interesting little gift shop and Juel got a fortune.
We took a photo by this pretty cliff. It was windy and cold our last day.
These are what the girls got from the gift shop. Anna didn't want her picture taken.
The kids still braved the wind and cold and went to the beach. Then they warmed up in grandmas big tub.
Hollie painted the girls nails festive for the 4th of July. We planned to get up early and leave for Seaside to catch a parade.
Day 8:
After driving for a couple of hours we made it to seaside. Its a small, touristy beach town with lots of shopping and the best firework show on the Oregon Coast. We found a good spot in front of our hotel for the parade.
My girls were decked out in red, white, and blue! The looked so cute!
Only half the family was able to make it to Seaside. The rest had to head home.
The whole time we were in Oregon, Juel was on the look out for Sasquatch. Who knew we could just see him in the parade!
We found a Moody's supper house so of course we had to have a picture!
View from our Hotel. I see where Anna gets her posing from!
We did some shopping and the town had some fun peddle cars. They also had a little festival going on after the parade. Then the kids went swimming and had a water fight with Jared.
While on this trip Juel learned how to snorkel! He was really good at it. The girls had fun trying.
Then we showered and got in our jammies and headed to the crows nest to wait for the fireworks. We planned to go to the beach which was in walking distance, but once we saw how many people where headed there we decided to stay at our hotel. The manager was awesome! He told us we would have a great view of the fire works. He gave us all some special firework glasses which "enhanced" our experience. The kids had fun just hanging out and playing games. He offered us all the hot chocolate we wanted from the lobby.
Sleeping bag, popcorn, and hot chocolate! Much better than fighting the crowds down on the beach!
It was beautiful! I know I keep saying that but really, the west side of Oregon is jaw dropping beautiful!
The glasses were awesome! They turned each little light into a prism effect! I fell in love with fireworks on the beach! I wish we could do this every year! It was the perfect last night of our trip!
Day 9: We started our journey home. This time we took the freeway though instead of all the back country highways.
I knew that the Roloff Farm from Little People, Big World was near Portland so I googled it to see if it would be on our way and it was! So of course we had to stop by and see this beautiful country. Jared and I have seen every episode. Not sure why, but we loved that show! We were sad they stopped filming. Then is was on a long boring and quite ugly drive to boise. Oregon sure got ugly on the other side of the state. And Idaho was the same way. I'd much prefer our longer but more beautiful drive up than that ugly drive anyday! We stayed and swam in a hotel in Boise with Hollie.
Day 10: This was our drive to Woodland Hills, UT. We were almost home sweet home. We said our goodbyes to Hollie and the kids not long after we left boise. They were headed to Wyoming.
The bad part of blogging 6 months late is I can't remember what happened to Anna but it must have been worth taking a picture :)
It was hared to say goodbye to some of the best family ever! We miss them so much since they moved from St. George.
After another long day of driving, man Boise is far, we made it to Grandpa and Grandma Moody's. At least the drive got prettier almost as soon as we hit the Utah border. We were so close to home and it felt so good! After so many days of driving many hours we only had 3 1/2 hours to go. Amy was there and we haven't seen them for a very long time! We a nice visit and had fun playing games and relaxing.
Luke isn't too proud to pick both holes at the same time! He's such a little cutie!
The girls had so much fun with their cousins!
Everyone had fun coloring with Aunt Chantel.
After 11 days away from home it was so nice to be home! I forgot to mention our horse bandit got out while we were gone and Brenden had to go catch him for us. We had a great family road trip! The Holt reunion was a blast and everyone enjoyed spending time together. I can't wait to go on more road trips with my fun little family! I love them all so much!
No comments:
Post a Comment