Another leg of this journey completed...

We are now in Nebraska, on our way to Grandkid-land ...
We've covered 6,500 miles in 3 months in 16 states. Still having a great time.

Chaparral High School graduation - Class of 2010, Parker, CO - the throwing of the streamers. They aren't allowed to throw caps there.

Brother Bill and Sister-in-Law Lisa. Graduate Molly had had enough of looking into the sun for dozens of photos by this time...

Nephew Alex, Molly, niece Amy and her fiance Justin

Molly was such a celebrity, we flocked around her for photos. You can see how late in the day it was getting and how hard it was for all the photographees to look into that sun.

One of my favorite cats ever - Daisy. Soft as a bunny.

This is the Columbine High School memorial in Littleton, CO, memorializing the April 1999 shootings and deaths of 13 students/faculty. Very nicely done. Plaques with quotes from students, family, faculty are very stirring and make you remember, think and have concern about the future.

My sister Jeri almost blowing away in the winds of the Rockies Front Range.

Bill, Jeri, Alex and I, in true Blakslee fashion,

did a lot of yard-sale-ing in Parker. Treasures galore! Shopping for infant clothing for Alex's baby-to-soon-be and for P.E.O. bag sales for both Jeri's IL chapter and my Prescott chapter. But maybe my favorite part of yard sales is finding the young entrepreneurs and their lemonade stands...I love those kids!

Kansas and Colorado

Goodland, Kansas
One of the top sunflower producers in the US, one of only 7 sites world-wide that displays a giant Van Gogh, 80 ft tall, the only one in the US.


Ahh...we had to return to Loveland, CO. We loved the biking and the mountain views last Oct and returned for more and to visit friends John & Nancy Warrender.

Now we'll be off to Parker to niece Molly's high school graduation tomorrow.

Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas

I am kicking myself for not getting a current picture of our fun friend Terri Brown when we stopped to see her for Mother's Day - so this 5 year old picture will have to do... Was great to see her again in her wonderful home in Rogers, AR.

Next stop was little Nevada, MO where P.E.O. has small 2 year Cottey College for women. We met Renee, a freshman there from Prescott and had a tour of the beautiful campus.

Independence, MO -
home of President Harry S. Truman.
We've now been to 7 Presidential Libraries and Museums - 5 to go yet.
(Though we've also been to Lincoln, Coolidge and Jackson that are not on the official list of 12 so we've really seen 10 of 15)
They continue to entertain and fascinate us!

Driving through Kansas City, dodging rain and missing tornadoes.

On to Abilene, Kansas - home of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.



I love seeing the gifts of state in these museums. Iran saw fit to give Ike this huge mosaic desk and all its accessories. (What can one do with such a thing???)







I love seeing the Presidents' histories - weren't they a gorgeous couple? Would you even recognize them?
It really is Ike and Mamie.



Then they changed into this and were known as being very fashionable with Mamie on the Best Dressed lists every year...

Now I finally understand why my Mom cut our bangs so short - it was Mamie-style, all the rage in the 50's.

More Tennessee

Fascinating Civil War history at little Franklin, TN just south of Nashville. This plantation home served as a field hospital during a horrendous battle with about 9,000 casualties. They operated here, threw amputated limbs from the windows into a pile that reached as high as that smokehouse. Blood stains remain on the floors of the house.
The family cemetery was later extended to include almost 1500 graves of Confederate soldiers.

In town, this building remains as the most battle-scarred still standing from the Civil War. 203 holes from minie-balls.

On a lighter note!!

Grand Ole Opry is so much fun! You can walk right up to the stage for close-up flash pictures. Bellamy Brothers and Larry Gatlin and many, many more.

We both agree, Tennessee has been the most beautiful state to drive through. Lush, green, rolling hills, beautiful highways.

Nashville

We've had a great time visiting friends Pat and Roxane Delahoussaye just south of Nashville. Luckily, they escaped any damage from the flood waters. Their beautiful home gives great RV parking! Last night we celebrated Cinco de Mayo with margaritas and Mexican food at Cozymels. Pat and I went for an early morning spin in his C-5 Corvette this morning.

More from Asheville, NC

Biltmore - summer home of Vanderbilts, largest home in America. 250 rooms & you self-tour through 55 of them
...incredible. It took us all day to ride bikes through the many acres of the estate, tour the house and just a tiny part of the gardens.




(me playing with Photoshop...I love the frown on that lion.)

View of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the Biltmore.

The Biltmore's Conservatory

Downtown Asheville.

Asheville's Flat Iron Building

Fascinating town and area!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Taking you on a tour through the park...
So GREEN!!






Appalachian Trail


Prounouce that apa-LACH-uhn,
not apa-lay-shun
if you live here...
.

Now we can say we've hiked on the trail of all trails - I would love to do more of it.



See why it's called Smoky?
.
(I also learned that Smokey with an E is only a bear or the police.)

We were there a day after a full night of heavy rain so were blessed with dozens of waterfalls along the road.

The southern end of the main park road is on the Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina.

Interesting looking written Cherokee language...