funny pictures

Thought I'd add some funny pictures...

Our car (door) overheated.

Well we're back connected to the rest of the Intertube-net-web so we have a few blog entries to catch up on. First, back to Death valley

Our car has had a history of running high in temp because of a coolant fan that was a bit on the fritz. We had it fixed of course before leaving, but I was still a bit uneasy as we hit temperatures in the 120s. I couldn't take my eye off the temp gauge though the car (engine) did fine.

When we arrived in LA on the 4th, we watch 3 sets of fireworks from the beach (3 different communities--it was quite nice).

The next morning, we were having difficulty opening the back door of the van. And by trouble I mean that we couldn't open it at all. I pulled everything out and was able to get it open from the inside using a screwdriver. Finally I found that there was some protective rubber-gooish stuff over the latch that had melted, gumming up the mechanics. After I scraped most of it off it started working. I'm sure many folks have had cars overheat in the summer in S. Cal, but I think we may be one of the first to have a door overheat.

Happy Birthday (aka Welcome to Death Valley)

Today I turned 37. And my family felt it appropriate to drag me to Death Valley. Actually the opposite is true. No one really wanted to go but me. However it was a lot of fun and it's always cool to hit a landmark like the lowest point in N.A.

P.S. Death valley is seriously hot.

Day of Contrasts

Yesterday we left the Grand Canyon. Before we left we wanted to take one more hike down into the canyon. Jill had suggested that we leave our campsite early in the morning and it turned out to be a great idea because most of the trail was in the shade. It was a beautiful and quiet.














We then headed to Las Vegas via the Hoover Dam and saw the hottest temperatures so far on the trip.















When we go to Vegas we were assaulted by billboards, crowds, traffic, and activity. What a contrast.















Some of the contrasts were obvious, some came to me later. In the Grand Canyon, I couldn't help but feel small....that there were bigger things out there than me. In Las Vegas, it seems that everything is geared toward me--that I will get lucky, that I will be entertained, that I will find fun or comfort. I think that's the difference when I find myself within God's creation and man's creation.

Grand Canyon

As we drove into the Grand Canyon, it was early evening and the air was comfortably warm. The first point by the entrance is Mather Point and as we approached we had fleeting glimpses of the canyon through the trees, cars and people. I cut across traffic and let Jill and the kids out so they could run to the viewing area while I parked the car. As I caught up with them Jill saw me and summed things up by saying "This is the coolest thing I have ever seen."

Painted Desert National Park

On our way to the Grand Canyon we stopped in the middle of Arizona at Painted Desert/Petrified Rock National Forest. Andy finished various tasks and was the first Dunham to become a Junior Ranger. He had his work checked, said a pledge and was made official by the Ranger. Andy was quite proud. We only spent an hour or two there because it was hot, pretty barren, and well, desert.

Albuquerque

After driving across the boonies of TX we reached Albuquerque and spent the night with our friends the Butlers. We spent time reminiscing and laughing about the crazy things we encountered while spending time together in Papua New Guinea.