On Saturday night we stayed in a WalMart parking lot right outside of LA. In the middle of the night I had the TV show, "COPS" theme song running through my head; "bad guys, bad guys..whatchaya gonna do when the come from you..." I thought of potential shootings or drug deals going bad and our RV the cover for some gang fight. It was a relief when morning arrived. We were eager to be in LA bright and early Sunday morning so that we could go to John MacArthur's church. Attending his church after years of listening to him on the radio was surreal. The crowds of people, the singing, the whole worship service, the courtyards and the bookstore were all a highlight.
An early morning hike up a mountain.
Near Venice Beach we rented bikes to explore and burn off some RV energy. There were four traffic lanes for walkers and bikers.
Wherever we went, extra boys joined our family. I am not sure if it was the noise, or because of the larger age range in our kids but at every stop there would be extra boys.
Hoover Dam in Nevada turned out to be a disappointment for all of us. The line ups were extremely long and the tour itself was not worth the wait. Safety regulations due to 9/11 have changed the place dramatically making it hands-off and restricted.
Heading towards Arizona's Grand Canyon.
How refreshing it was to read this plaque.
The Grand Canyon is truly stunning with its width, depth, the Colorado River snaking through it, along with its deep, red colours. The problem is it is the most nerve racking place to be especially with five children. We had the youngest on a leash and I had two dog leashes hanging out of my pocket so if one of the boys showed any hints of being reckless they would be tethered and they knew it! Where there's walls (and there are hardly any), the walls seem awfully short. One lady told me there are 15 deaths per year at the canyon and the average of 2 people falling over walls. I had been nervous about this part of the trip and hardly slept the night before, hearing that didn't help!
I'm loving reading about your trip. It sounds like an amazing experience. Love how you dressed the boys in similar shirts- keeps them together and helps with the head counting! I'd love to see a picture of your camper and hear how you handled the being in close quarters. Tricia
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