Stay tuned, Judie took more pictures with her new camera!

Although we had originally intended to leave Bellevue on Friday, July 20th, we decide to get an earlier start at 9:30pm onThursday, July 19th, with Judie, Jolena and I driving through the night we get to Idaho and Utah on the 20th.  After some sightseeing and dinner in Salt Lake City we are driving east again.

Driving again through the night of Friday July 20th (across Wyoming and into Nebraska), we do arrive at our hotel near the airport in St Louis roughly 48 hours after we left Bellevue at 9:30pm on Saturday July 21st.

Grace and Peace Fellowship the morning of Sunday July 22nd, and a picnic following.  Sunday evening picnic with the Johnson's.

Monday July 23rd we are allowed to check into the Hyatt Regency a day earlier than the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Conference starts.  Dinner with the Wheelers.  http://www.phylliswheeler.com/CuringAutismBlog/

Tuesday July 24th we move into our conference rooms at the Hyatt Regency and stay there through Friday night July 27th.  Dinner with the Manzos.

Wednesday July 25th the conference is in full swing.  Day ends with a welcome reception.

Thursday July 26th another busy day at the conference.  Dinner at Orion House.

Friday July 27th a full day of sessions and Angelman Syndrome Foundation business meeting.  Day ends with a trip to Raging Rivers Waterpark and we take the Grafton Ferry from Illinois to Missouri across the Mississippi.

Saturday July 28th is the last day of the Conference.  We check out of the hotel and spend the night at the Oldham's.  Dinner with the Manzos and the Falkes.

Sunday July 29th another chance to worship at Grace and Peace Fellowship and we are off to Auburn Illinois to visit Great-Grandma and Great Grandpa.  But first lunch with cousin Brian Reno and his family.

Monday July 30th we spend another day in Auburn, John makes reservations for hotels on the return trip.

July 31st we drive from Auburn IL to Lincoln NE (Villager Courtyard and Gardens)

August 1st we drive from Lincoln NE to Scottsbluff NE

August 2nd another day in Scottsbluff, we visit the Agate Fields Fossil Beds National Monument and Scottsbluff National Monument.

August 3rd we drive from Scottsbluff NE to Rapid City SD, however so do a *lot* of motorcycle riders as well (ever heard of Sturgis SD?)  Jolena gets an early birthday present in a massage, and we go out to the Wheaton College Science Station where we also get a chance to have a last supper with some students there who are bound the next day back to their homes or Wheaton College IL.

August 4th is Jolena's birthday and her sister Jocelyn surprises us by driving up from Denver to Rapid City.  We have a delicious lunch at the Alpine Inn in Lead South Dakota.

August 5th we drive from Rapid City to Billings MT.  Along the way we stop and see Devil's Tower National Monument in WY.

August 6th we drive from Billings MT to Great Falls MT, through Helena MT.

August 7th we drive from Great Falls MT to Kalispell MT through Glacier on the Going-to-the-Sun Highway.  Beautiful drive!

August 8th we get up early and drive from Kalispell MT, to Bellevue WA, through Sandpoint ID, Coeur d' Alene ID, and Spokane WA.  This cuts our trip short by 1 day, and we enjoy a restful night in our own beds on the night of August 8th.

 

[More conference impressions / pictures and observations here.]