2017 Southard Family Vacation

We will begin our epic adventure in the wee hours of July 20th. We will buckle the kids, count your beautiful little heads and head off into the darkness.

Not sure what we will see here, but this site commemorates the unaminous Supreme Court Decision to end racial segregation in schools. 60 + years later, our education system still struggles to include all people, however, decisions like this remind us of the people that fought the good fight to make the progress that we have made.

About 5 hours into our trip, we will come to Old Prairie Town. This will be a quick stop to stretch your legs and take some pictures. If we are running late, we can check out some of the local shops. Old Prairie Town was a stop on the Oregon Trail as people traveled by covered wagon to the wild west.

It is 2 hours and 42 minutes to our next stop.

We will visit "the Cathedral of the Plains" as we continue our journey. Again, we will stretch our legs, but here we will have a moment of quiet prayer to thank God for our many blessings. Let's ask for a safe journey while we are there. St. Fidelis Church was the largest Church west of the Mississippi River at the time it was built. Now,
Who was St. Fidelis? What is the largest Church west of the Mississippi River today?

Another leg stretcher...This is not the Louvre, but we do get to enjoy a little culture before we finally leave the land of Toto. Great photo opp's here...

We will end our day at the Residence Inn. We have a two bedroom suite, and if we have time, we may go to Boulder to check out the local culture and get some brownies...he he he...or maybe we will just go for a swim at the pool. PLAY WITH YOUR DEVICES NOW. When you wake up, you will only be allowed to use your device as a camera. What you see tomorrow is among the greatest natural beauty in the world...While you may not appreciate that beauty, you are going to look at it. I hope you understand that we made many sacrifices to get you here, and this is not a punishment, but parental wisdom. Honor thy Father and Mother.

Just plan on downloading some John Denver albums as you will definitely be on a 'Rocky Mountain High.' This park and Zion were my favorites as a kid, and I think you will love it. The other great parks are Arches, Yosemite and Yellowstone. If we go to number six, I would give it to Smoky Mountain National Park. I hope you love this leg of our trip!!!

We will have many stops along the way to take breathtaking photos of this beautiful landscape.

The road we are taking through Rocky Mountain National Park is called Trail Ridge Road. Look up various scenic overlooks that you want to see along the way. We will most definitely be stopping at the Continental Divide. There is an Chimani App for Rocky Mountain National Park where you can look up the different scenery along the way. Where do you want to stop?

This is the last little bit before we get to the Interstate. This is considered a White Knuckle Road because it makes drivers nervous, but I will be fine.

If we get here by 4 o'clock, we will stop for souvenirs and maybe a microbrew...

We don't really have the time, but this is another historic pass that is a must see in Colorado. After this leg, we are going all out to historic Main Street in Grand Junction, CO. At the end of Loveland Pass, you can have your devices back. However, I don't recommend it. Some of the next few towns include the most exclusive ski resorts in the world. You should just keep looking.

This is a Manker family favorite. We will be able to get in the creek and have a little fun in the water.

We will end the busiest day of our vacation in Grand Junction, Colorado. What does Colorado mean anyway? Do you think the name fits?

We are staying in a 1 bedroom suite tonight, but we won't be here long. I am hoping to spend a little time in the Historic Main Street area. Does anyone think we should buy a Rocky Mountain back scratcher?

Uncle Bill let me climb on top of several of these arches to get my picture taken. Are you brave enough? This park is pretty cool with a lot of different rock formations. Somewhere in here is a sign that says don't go down this trail...or you will be lost forever. If we find it, hold on tight to my Clare Bear. There is a Chimani App for Arches National Park.

Evan this stop was hand picked for you. There is no Diet Coke Lime, but I do hope you still like it here. Maybe we can take your picture drinking a Diet Coke in front of the Diet Pepsi...so ironic.

If you have ever played the game Oregon Trail, you may have stopped at Cove Fort. This fort was a safe stop along the trail to the West Coast. I am sure that the journey has been difficult in the Sprinter, but can someone tell me how long the journey took by covered wagon?

We are back in a 2 bedroom!

We need to get an early start today to get a good four hours at Zion National Park. We will want an extra set of clothes because we might get wet. There are some easy hikes that we can try along with a Tram to take us throughout the park. There is a Chimani App for Zion National Park that you can download to see if there is anything you want to check out.