The Journey
Covered over 5,083 miles
87 hours of driving
Part 1: Getting to CA
Pearland, TX to El Dorado Hills, CA (just outside Sacramento)
We left Friday, February 26th, after John was done with school at about 5:30 pm. Stopped for dinner and drove straight through to Sacramento - 31 hours later - arriving at 12:30 am.
We are so grateful for great friends, the Clarks, who let us crash at their place and use their home as "home base" for the week. We hadn't seen the Clarks for about two years, but things hadn't changed a bit (besides Owen now being a "toddler" and them meeting Connor for the first time). Good friends are comfortable, easy to be with and fun.
It was as if we still lived right next door :).
The kids had no trouble picking up where their friendships had left off. Abby and Ella were constantly beautifying themselves in dress-up and new hair-styles. Owen and Dallin had fun being boys running around, playing cars, and riding trikes. Sean was a good sport to humor all the kids and play with them too. Connor just "toodled" around enjoying the new friends.
We spent Sunday recuperating from the long drive and hanging out with the Clarks.
Monday
Part 2: Exploration Begins
El Dorado Hills, CA to Placerville, CA
Placerville, CA to Carson City, NV
Carson City, NV to Reno, NV
Reno, NV to Grass Valley, CA
Grass Valley to El Dorado Hills, CA
The streets of Placerville, CA
The views of Placerville
Running out of gas...
Let me tell you... we were SO LUCKY!!! We had been driving around the outskirts of Placerville locating different homes and trying to get a feel for the area, when all of a sudden the car would not accelerate! In John's defense the steering wheel does cover up his view of the gas gauge. Who knows how long we had been running on fumes! Luckily, we had just passed (300 yards back down the hill) a state park with a small store and ONE pump gas station. John was able to run down, fill up a gas can, and hitch-hike his way back up. We were so lucky!!! We were in the middle of nowhere!
Here the kids and I are waiting for John to run down the hill and hitch-hike his way back up with some gas.
Where we ran out of gas....
Back in the car and on our way to Carson City
We had to stop for a photo shoot along Hwy 50
Lake Tahoe.... so beautiful
Lunch Break at Lake Tahoe Overlook
Wirthlin Family Tradition Continues....
"If Mom or Dad runs out of gas, then the children get TRIPLE scoop ice-cream cones."
This only made for lots of chanting the rest of the trip ... Run out of gas.... Run out of gas...
(a really beautiful small town outside Sacramento)
We thought that was enough for one day :).
FYI: No pictures of Carson City, besides the ice-cream, it is off the list :)
I still can't believe your adventure! What an experience. I love your pics from Tahoe. So pretty! And the ice cream.. looks divine. I hope I'm around when you run out of gas next time. :) Glad that you're home and safe.
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