Number 28....hug a Redwood Tree

Same trip to California.  We wanted to go to the Redwood National Park, but it was just a little to far out of our way.  We however drove through redwood forests.  We stopped along a windy road from Ukiah to the coast and hugged a tree.  The tree to me was really soft, the bark I guess.  I always thought redwood was a harder tree because it is great to build decks and stuff and retains it's color and form, the bark however wasn't hard but like fur.  They smelled so good though.  We didn't see the biggest one in the world but it was neat to see them and enjoy the trees.  Although I loved the redwood when we got into a cyprus forest....wow those trees are awesome.  They smelled so good.  I loved them.  Check....number 28....hug a redwood tree.  

Number 27 Bike Across Golden Gate

 Biking across Golden Gate Bridge is an addition to the list, because frankly it is one of the funnest things I have done in my life.  On the same trip to California, Danielle's mom dropped us off in San Francisco.  We got the GO PASS which included most of the touristy site seeing things to do.  One of those was to rent bikes for the day with the intention of biking across the bridge.  We and hundreds of others did that.  We started from Fisherman Wharf and biked to the bridge, stopping at a local farmers market where the samples of fresh fruit where basically my breakfast and delicious.  Then the bridge's west side is for bikers and east side for walkers.  It was really fun to see that bridge from that perspective.  When we went across it was fogging and chilly and when we came back (above) it had cleared up.  We stopped along the way and took pictures.  Then we rode the bikes the rest of that day.  Really really fun.   Check....number 27.....bike across Golden Gate Bridge. 

Number 29, Eat at Donner Pass

This one was on my original list but I had to abbreviate it a little.  This one was to eat a sandwich at Donner Pass.  Cold cuts was what I was thinking.  On our trip to CA we stayed the night in Reno and unfortunately ate a buffet breakfast.  Donner Pass is like an hour out of Reno so there what no way I could eat a sandwich.  We stopped and I bit Danielle and had to be happy with that.   I feel a little bad about the irreverence of this 40 for 40 but it is funny.  The reason I feel bad is I have never been there and didn't really understand how horrible that would have been.  The Sierra Nevadas are a huge mountain range that as soon as you think you are out of them another range appears.  It is literally up and down.  I have a new respect for the Donner Party as well as any of the early pioneers and 49ers that went across the Sierra Nevadas.   Then when I taught 8th grade history we also covered the subject of the Chinese building the Railroad through the mountains and again a huge respect for that feat of building the railroad from Sacramento to Promontory Point.  The Irish really had it easy coming from Omaha.   Check off Number 29......Donner Pass. 

Number 26, Lick the Salt Flats

 This is one I added along the way because again it is my thing so I can.  I was traveling with Danielle and Janet to California and we stopped at the Salt Flats.  It is really the craziest place, just white and flat and salty as I confirmed.  I decided that I needed to know 100% that it was salt so I licked it, as shown below.  It is salty, take it from me.

 Danielle, Janet, Me.  It is always fun to roadtrip with two people just over 5 foot because then I look like a giant in all the pictures.  They actually were really fun to road trip with.  We had the cooler of drinks and the treat bag but no CD's and Nevada doesn't offer the greatest radio stations.  That was our only downfall.  

Number 26...check....lick the Salt Flats. 

Number 22, Go to a Rodeo

Go to a Rodeo

We live in the west and Rodeos are very prevalent, however I don't usually go to any so since I live right across from the West Jordan Arena I thought that it might be fun to go.  We went on July 4th.  Danielle, Jenna, and I went.  It was a beautiful evening and we enjoyed a lot of "Fair Food".  The rodeo I can't say was one of the best.  I guess while I was waiting in a ridiculous long line for funnel cake the best part was when a 4 year old wouldn't let go of the sheep in mutton busting and I could hear the crowd cheering.  My friends told me all about it when I returned with more fried food.  It was fun, but then I was sick from the food and missed the best part so not a classic.  Check Number 22:  Attend a Rodeo. 

Kennecott

Number 25: Go to Kennecott Copper Mine

This is another that I just added.  Lexi is taking AP Geography next year so I am trying to find things to help her understand parts of the class as they learn out of the book next year.  Kennecott is one of those, as was the commercial diary farm at Manti Pageant.  So one day I went and got the kids and we drove up the Kennecott.  It is really incredible the operation they have up there.  The huge trucks look like matchbox cars.  It is hard to even comprehend how big it is as you are watching at the crest of the copper pit.  I always am amazed at the cool things we live around but don't ever really see.  There are more tourists at Kennecott and the Great Salt Lake than there is anywhere else in the Salt Lake Valley.  We don't take advantage of the things we have in our backyard that people come all over the world to see.  Anyway it was a fun couple hours.  We went and ate at McDonalds after and in about 10 minutes demolished 5 extra value meals.  Number 25: Kennecott, Check!

Manti Pageant

Number 11, Manti Pageant, Check.  A couple of years ago driving back from Oklahoma my mom wanted to go to the pageant.  Lexi and I were tired and just wanted to go home so we told her that we would go another year.  This was the year.  I figured it could be a family reunion.  My dad's best friend Rex Brown lives in Gunnison which is like 15 miles from Manti so that would be perfect to camp outside there house.  I didn't even realize he had such a nice lawn area or maybe we would have done it sooner.  To be honest the hardest thing is getting all the families to commit.  We Roberts' generally don't like to be tied down to anything and then can't just say alright let's go and just go.  I knew once we got everyone there it would be fun and everyone would have a good time, it is just getting them there.  So everyone drove down separately Friday night and set up camp.  Then Saturday we did a few activities and then toured the diary.  The adults grew up around diaries but the kids are 'city kids'.  It was fun to see how a huge commercial diary farm runs and the kids all got a chance to milk a cow and let the calves suck on their fingers.  Taunya, Rex's daughter, was our tour guide and really knew her business.   That night we went to the pageant.  Trevor saved up good seats up front while the rest of us ate turkey at one of the churches.  It was a great experience.  Some of the things that we fun was the pageant had just started and Dustin and Slayden had gone to get food and when they came back Slayden, who is 2, screamed...."We are back and we brought treats!"  He was so excited to have brought cotton candy to everyone.  Then Leah was pretty excited for the fire and Jesus.   The sweetest thing was Mason and Leah were sitting together and Leah was getting tired so Mason took off his jacket for Leah to have a pillow to lay on his leg.  When Leah went to sleep, somebody moved her on the ground with Mason's jacket.  It did get a little cold and poor Mason was shivering but he wanted Leah to have a pillow.  Finally somebody realized what had happened and got his jacket back to him and bundled Leah up with a blanket.  That is a sweet gesture of Mason to give his jacket up for his cousin. 

We got back to our camp and then in the morning "loaded her up Shell".  It was fun to be together as a family and watch the kids play together.  We had three friends, Danielle and her niece Hannah, and Lexi's friend Cami.  They were fun to have as well.  So I have planned a family reunion and attended the Manti Pageant.  Number 11, Check!