Over Three Week Trip for Funeral, Blessing, Visiting Kingman and Camping

We had a very significant trip this early spring.  Tony went with us for most of the trip but he flew home early to get back to Nebraska.  The trip was for 22 days.  We left on Wednesday 3/18.

Across the I-80 to Salt Lake.  We had planned to leave a couple days earlier to go camping in California, but our plans changed with the death of my nephew, Dianna's son.  So our first leg was to Logan for the funeral.  Across the I-80 we stopped at a couple rest areas, one in Nebraska and one in Wyoming, where we spent the night.  

After arriving in SLC the second day, we spent the night at Mark's new house.  We had dinner at Casa Linda in Murray.  Tony slept inside and Sheri and I slept in the van.  Friday morning we traveled to Logan for the funeral of Joshua Mark Norman who based away in the mountains by Tony Grove due to exposure.  He is six weeks older than our son Jeremy and the second of four grandsons of my mother all born the same year to pass away.  Trevor previously passed away in a car accident.  The funeral was very nice with Joshua's parents and siblings all speaking.  The internment was in Paradise with Mark dedicating the grave.  From our family Caleb, Mark and family, Natalia and family, Tony and Sheri and I were there.  There were lots of Normans.  All of my siblings were there as well.  

After the funeral we drove up Blacksmith Fork Canyon to relax for a few minutes.

We had to leave relatively quickly to get Caleb to the airport as he was flying and we were driving.  We drove through Hyrum quickly.  The central part of Hyrum is not much changed but east of town seems to always be growing.  We couldn't drive over the dam as it is being replaced.  Of course South Cache is now gone and replaced.  The old seminary building still stands however.  

We spent the night at the rest area on the Salt Flats close to Wendover.  No pictures as it was dark when we arrived and dark when we took off the next morning.  The new thing along this route is the Elko Temple.  We usually just drive strait through but this time we actually stopped at the strange structure at the side of the freeway, Thunder Mountain in Imlay. 

We arrived in Manteca Saturday evening and church was early the next morning for Ruby's blessing. 

blessing outfit

 Many friends from our Manteca days were there including Brother Hammerstrom who is the Elder's Quorum president.  Also all of the Banks crew.  There was a big circle for the blessing.  After the blessing I went to Caleb's to watch Camberly's string concert from Omaha.  Sheri went to Northland ward church.  

watching Cam on the apple tv

Monday we traveled to San Jose where we had lunch at The Habit with Nancy, 

drove past the old house in Cupertino (big tree is gone) and visited Central Park, Santa Clara with Jesse and Cheryl.  

Jesse is a family friend.  The playground is all new at Central Park.  It now includes children's art.  Central Park has a Veterans memorial.

Other activities at Caleb's included a trip to Luu's Bowls after a ball game, Little league, and t-ball softball which was at Big League Dreams, and school awards.  Thursday we visited the Modesto Childrens Museum.

Kingman, We stayed at Kingman KOA.  There was an Easter Breakfast with the Desert Willow Ward we attended and met many old friends.  We also attended Palm Sunday Church in the Desert Willow Ward.  They have soe very nice musical talent.  We also went to the Easter concert in Bullhead.  Among other things in Kingman we saw, Kingman Fire Station Mural,  Kingman Chuckwalla,  Beale Street Theater Mural, Beale Street Theater 10 year anniversary show, murals, Flying Fortress Parkway, Mohave Museum of History and Arts: Andy Devine, mural, Navajo rugs, artwork of Roy Purcell, Doxol Fire, Kingman Army Air Field, Native American Artifacts,  Route 66 Museum: Kingman History, arch, Electrical Vehicle, 

Leaving Kingman and taking Tony to Las Vegas Airport we saw, Boulder Beach Campground on Lake Mead where we spent the night, Seven Magic Mountains, and Veterans Highway on route 95.  We spente the night at Burro Creek Campground.