This is the big trip of the year!!!
The plan: travel to Lander WY to see our granddaughter, Aeja, defend her thesis in her senior year - her topic- "Choose Joy" - she did a fantastic job with an inspirational topic!!! All the family was there and then we had lunch together after and before everyone had to get back to "work"!! Both Aeja and Oak are at Wyoming Catholic College and it has been great to actually see where they are flourishing and learning!!
Next goal: watch the last two legs of the Pedigree Stage Race (the race in Wyoming that we have done twice)
We left Sunday morning with the weight of a heavy decision - the big blue truck was making hiccups going down the expressway coming home from the UP- so after a 2 week visit with our favorite mechanic, Dan, we came to the conclusion that we didn't have confidence that it was good to go- which meant that we also were not taking the camper (my home away from home and my preference for traveling) and going to be "moteling it" - and for some reason I have developed a dislike for...........h
so off we go on Sunday morning and with perfect driving weather, make it as far of Omaha - but in the process of Randy telling me to find a place to sleep and me having trouble finding a place, I accidentally booked a room in DesMoine, IA, which was 45 minutes back to the East (and obviously we were going West!!) Fortunately I was able to whine loudly enough to the manager of the motel the next morning to convince her to refund our fee - being old sometimes has it s advantages!!
Arrived here in Lander one day earlier that we had thought it would take so we asked for the reservation at our "Vacation Rental by Owner" to start one day earlier and we were able!! Amazing weather!! no snow except for on the snow machine trails and high on the mountains - 50 degrees all week and mostly sunny!!! warmer than Florida this week!!
What a great location and super fun house - the pictures did not do it justice and what was most surprising and unexpected were the horses and the mule deer buck that greeted us in the yard!! I will post pictures but I can never seem to capture my full awe of the setting!!!
So Wednesday we had pretty free and just did some driving around familiarizing ourselves with he immediate area (found the race site here from the last year we ran the Pedigree race and it was just down the road from where we are living!! Sinks Canyon - beautiful landscape!!!) and some shopping for food - the DeKuiper family joined us at our "Wyoming home" for pizza and that was great fun!!
Thursday we explored even further and went to the Pedigree Stage Stop race site to be sure we knew where to be in the morning -and how long it would take to get there - up up up through the South Pass and found it traveling through gorgeous mountain country with sprinkles of antelope and mule deee on the hillsides!! 1/2 hour trip so we knew we wanted to leave an hour and a half from the starting time to be helpful if we could.
Friday up at 7, breakfast and to the race site by 8:30 - so fun to see old friends especially the Magnusson's, Beabers. Anny and Marco and Andersons. It was especially amazing to get such warm welcomes for the crew that puts on the race!!! It's been 3 years since we were here and did the race - goodness, Aeja was just a freshman then and now she is about to graduate and get married this summer to a very nice man named Briggs from Louisiana!!!
we did our, what now seems normal role as helping the first team up to the start line and then staying in the starting chute to help anyone that asks us to watch or hold their dogs - which is about all I can handle in this high altitude!! I can tell I am short of breath with the least little effort!!! I am far more empathetic for those that have lung problems!! Post-race I helped Bruce and Laura a bit with watering and de-harnessing. The whole race was over by about 11:30 so we packed up and headed home - until the "meet and greet the mushers" event that was held at the part about a mile away from us (downtown is only 2 miles away!) We saw most people and they had a huge fire and 2 food truck and we had delicious steak tips!!
Saturday same departure and arrival and same beautiful weather - sunny and very little wind - this day we brought chairs from the rental house so we sat out past the finish line and saw some pretty exciting finishes with teams close and fast!!!
Back to the house and got ready for the awards banquet which was held at the Shoshone Rose Casino up the highway about 20 minutes - the food was pretty good and the awards were great!!! Of course those of you who watch dog sled racing know that Anny Malo was 1st for the 7th year, Remy Coste 2nd and Bruce Magnusson 3rd!
Sunday morning to Mass with Oak and Aeja and Briggs at 10 and then out to brunch - local very old restaurant with copper for the table tops!! They actually have a "brunch burger" which Aeja had with an egg and other breakfast stuff on it!! It's the usual place for the college kids to eat on Sunday after Mass so lots of the kids' friends were there - after that we did some more "adventuring" and drove up to Dubois (about 1.5 hours) and went to the Military Museum that so many people had told us we had to go see! They were right - amazing!!! very well worth the ticket and the time!!! pictures at the bottom -
more food shopping and back here -
Monday: we are schedule to do some laundry then at 3:30 pick Aeja up from school and take her to the place where Briggs' horse is - which we did not know existed so I am very excited -= then at 6:30 dinner with the 3 kids at the Mexican restaurant downtown!
Tuesday : leave for parts unknown
were going to go to Old Faithful but found out it is closed until 5/15 - so who know where!!! We should be home by Friday because we have a doctor appointment- unless we change that for some good reason!!!!
for more pictures of the house look at the ones on the VRBO website under Laner, Wyoming, 2.1 miles from downtown Lander, 2513 Sinks Canyon Road
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