Norton travels, USA and beyond: May 2014

We’re off on a summer vacation, but before I post about that I thought I should catch up on our travels since returning home last June. In October we took a trip to Moab, Utah. Moab is a beautiful red rock area with two national parks to see. First we went to Arches National Park and hiked to many of the stunning arches there. Then we went to Dead Horse State Park, which has fabulous canyons carved by the Colorado River and Green River. This is the location used for the filming of the final scene in “Thelma and Louise”, (not the Grand Canyon). We also visited Canyonlands National Park, which has similar terrain.

In January, Chuck felt he needed to escape the winter weather, so we went for a week in Hawaii (Oahu). We visited Pearl Harbor and the Mighty Missouri where the Japanese surrendered at the end of World War II. We also took in the Polynesian Cultural Center, which has a new luau in the Samoan village as well as a new evening show. It rained a bit on us that day, until we decided to buy the rain ponchos. As soon as we put them on, it stopped. We also enjoyed Sea Life Park and some Waikiki sunshine, floating in the warm Pacific waters there. On our way home we had a fun evening with Matt and Briannah at the Anaheim Pirate Adventure Show, and a nice visit with our friends the Gallaghers.

In spring we took short trips to Denver and to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. In Denver we visited the home of the unsinkable Molly Brown as well as the Wings Over the Rockies Air Museum. In Jackson Hole we enjoyed an excellent Wildlife Art Museum right across from the National Elk Refuge. Although it was spring in SLC, there was still plenty of snow at the Grand Teton National Park in late April.

When we get back home so I have my camera upload cord I’ll write about our current travels. We are on a two week trip, so we’ll be home in mid-June.