June 8- June 13

Clark and I wanted to visit Dillon for a couple of reasons. First, we wanted the kiddos to see where Clark and I had spent our dating years, which were in Jackson, about 45 minutes away. We had the opportunity to meet with Monte and Inga, owners of Jackson Hot Springs at the time Clark and I were dating. We also had the best soak in the Olympic-sized hot springs pool.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Second, we wanted to check out the mining towns and the history in nearby Virginia City/Nevada City to continue our history-themed cross country adventure.

And…Virginia City and Nevada City were a blast. We had already ventured to downtown Dillon to the museum and old schoolhouse. The kiddos were ready to learn more about the Vigilantes and Sheriff Plummer’s deceitful demise. We rode the passenger train between the cities, mined for gold, visited the candy store, learned all about the musical organs of the time, walked through a town specifically staged with original buildings from the late 1890s and saw original tools and materials left behind as the cities became ghost towns. Everything from dress makers, hardware stores, mercantile, stage coach textiles, saddle making, apothecaries- you name it, it was there. It’s as if it was a functioning city one day, and the next, only the people were gone.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

About a half mile from Southside RV Park, there was a brand new playground. The kiddos grabbed their walkie talkies, hopped on their bikes and headed out to play there pretty much every day. What we read onsite at the park is that it was part memorial for Jennifer Hughes, the infant daughter of a young couple that had to say goodbye to her only days after she was born. The park had slates with names all around on the fencing, placards with business names and school groups and there were daisies painted all around. It was a beautiful tribute to a tiny life that left this world too soon. I could tell the story really resonated with Ben and Izzy and the Dillon community was powerfully felt throughout the park. With all the isolation our communities have been feeling, this felt like a velvet blanket of community love. We’ll take a double please.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Back at our RV Park, a small creek ran along the backside of our site, so the kids spent quite a bit of time wading in the water hunting for frogs, stones and getting Riggs to jump in and out after them. They gleefully wore their rain boots for stability along the riverbed and allowed the water to fill them up. Dumping and drying them was a daily activity.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Running and working out was easy with the UMW campus across the street. We found ourselves and the grounds crew as the only ones enjoying the pathways and walkways.

Next week- on to Glacier National Park!! Hugs!