Trip to the Family Reunion

Traveling to the reunion was tricky this time.  See Mark's family traditionally has been holding a family reunion every three years.  This year is the last of the "Howard Lowe Reunions" as he just recently passed away, and most of the children from that family now have families of their own, so it is important to come to this one as it is the last Lowe Reunion.

We had to alter our travel plans for Robert.  His school soccer team try outs were moved to the evenings so he had try outs Tuesday 6:30 - 8:30, Wednesday 6:30 - 8:30 and Thursday 6:30 - 8:30.  Well, we had planned on leaving for Utah on Wednesday morning - ugh!!!  That would only allow Robert one day of try outs.  To give Robert a better chance, we changed our plans to leave after try outs on Wednesday.   That would entail Mark and Devon going to pick up the rental van while Betsy takes Robert to soccer and then comes back to pack up the van.  When Mark got home with the van, it stunk of cigarette smoke.  Betsy aired it out and sprayed Fabreeze all over the upholstery and carpet.  She loaded the van to have all the suitcases and extra things fit in perfect - we've thought of everything - snacks, music, DVDs, photo clothes, horseback riding clothes, touring clothes, lake clothes, soccer ball and net, tripod (Betsy's taking the family photo), etc.  We are set.  We drive up to Creasey Mahan and get Robert at exactly 8:30 he is released and away we go... off to St. Louis.  As we approach St. Louis Mark and I decide to get a room on the west side of the city to avoid traffic in the morning, however while Betsy is trying to book a room from her phone - they apparently are all full.  We drive around and around seaching in person and on the phone.  She finally finds one - but when we arrive there isn't a desk clerk for 10 minutes so we leave.  She finds another one, the Red Roof in, but it was so entirely disgusting - since we were there and we had had such bad luck, we stay the night (but let me tell you, it was gross!  The smell was so vile - cigarette smell everywhere!)  Right then and there, Betsy said no more cheap hotel room - disgusting.

Thursday:  We were on the road by 8 AM the next day and drove for miles and miles and hours and hours (of course we did, because that's what you have to do do get cross country).  We went north in Missouri to Iowa and west through Nebraska.  We stayed the night in Sidney, NE at a very nice Best Western (the first Cabella's store and World Headquarters of Cabella's is in Sidney, NE).  Mark and I took a jog and then we relaxed at the pool with the kids.  It was so nice to have a chance to relax.

Friday:  We woke early and were on the road by 7:30 AM.  We want to be at Bear Lake by 4:00 PM.  We went from Nebraska to Wyoming to Utah.  It's funny - the kids felt like we drove longer today than yesterday, but yesterday we drove until 8:00 PM and today we finished at 4:00.  On the drive we came up with our family "talent show" act.  We are doing "we will rock you" with our family names.  It's so cute.  Betsy was driving when we pulled into Laketown, UT.  We followed the directions, but when we got there, nothing looked like a house so we turned around and went closer to the lake.  Mark made some phone calls and we realized we needed to go back to the original destination.  From the outside it looks like an old-time store or jail, but inside it's wonderful!  The Laketown Lodge is our home for the next three days!

Family Reunion - we made it!!!