as we took our time and stopped to visit some fun
sites/museums on the way back.
The two girls almost got eaten by a bear. . .
but then Rick saved them and we visited The National
Oregon/California Trail Center in eastern Idaho.
Skyler didn't realize we had him posing underneath a saloon girl . . .
This mural was huge--covering the hallway leading to the restrooms.
It was highly detailed and had vibrant colors. There were also real
snake skins weaved into it. (not shown here)
There was a special quilt show going on while we were visiting:
Bella checked out the hardware in the museum's lower-level while Skyler went "old school":
There were some interesting displays in the Union Pacific Railroad/Daughters of the Mormon Pioneers section of the museum:
We next stopped at the Fossil Butte monument in western Wyoming. I remember visiting this place as a small child, although it was only a one-room building at that time. I was informed by a guide that this newer building has been in place for twenty years. Where does the time go?!
The fossils are diverse and displayed throughout the multi-roomed building. We got to watch one of the workers as she cleaned a fossil. I remember my sisters and I having the opportunity to clean fossils when we visited as children. I think there's a picture floating around somewhere of us in our over-sized goggles . . .
I remember giggling over this fossil when I was younger . . .
These displays are so neat!
Here we are outside of the building . . . the view is beautiful:
We were surprised by a neat rainbow/cloud on our way out:
This is the Great Platte River Road Archway museum that is located near Kearney, Nebraska. The museum features a self-guided tour through American history, centered around Interstate 80. We rode an escalator to the start of the exhibit after being outfitted with earphones. The exhibits were diverse and interesting, complete with sound effects and changing lights for the mood of the story being told at each section.
Skyler didn't know what to think of the gentleman who welcomed us into the museum:
The tour featured incredibly life-like statues and beautiful murals, with subjects varying from the Mountain Men to the Mormon Trek West and America of the Fifties:
This is the view of the highway from the arch: (Layla is checking the motorist's speed . . .)
The kids were disappointed that the food in the diner wasn't real . . .
Yes, the big poster features the guide we met inside.
View of the arch from the road:
After three days of travel and museums (at the end of two weeks of traveling and visiting) were we happy to be back in Iowa? YES!!!
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