It’s good to be back.
It’s been over three years since our last official “Church Trip”, when we went to the Pacific Northwest, so we’re clearly long overdue for some travel. More accurately, we’re due a vacation (isn’t everyone?), and what better spot than the Canadian Rockies?
Hold up… Turns out, in early April, as I’m re-writing this intro for the third time in two years, travel to Canada still isn’t looking so great. For over two years, we’ve been planning a magnificent trip to Canada and northern Montana to visit a multitude of locations in the northern Rockies. Disappointingly, we’ve had to put those plans on hold for yet another year.
Time for some good news, though: on April 2, the CDC recommended that fully vaccinated individuals can travel again with low risk. Even though Canada is once again pushed to the distant horizon, we’re still able to travel within the States, and what better spot to social distance than “Big Sky Country”?
Buckle up; there’s a lot of travel to make up for, and a lot to share.
Travel, Travel, Travel
In late 2019, Faith and I started planning a weekend trip to Boston, to take place in April 2020. Our schedules were quickly filling up, so we decided to postpone. Turns out, it wasn’t the greatest time to travel after all…
Besides the Boston trip, our recent trips should have included:
- *Canceled* - a work trip for me to Frankfurt, Germany in May 2020
- *Postponed* - after my Germany trip, I was supposed to return to South America for another work-related trip
- *Rescheduled* - Church Trip (2020 edition) to the Canadian Rockies
- *Canceled* - Wisconsin - App was scheduled to play football in Madison in September 2020, so we were going to take that opportunity to explore some of the Great Lakes region. However, the game was scratched when the B1G canceled their season...only to reinstate it later.
- *Canceled* - three more of my potential work trips to southern Africa, southeast Asia, and South America
- *Postponed Indefinitely* - Church Trip (2021 edition) to the Canadian Rockies
There’s been much disappointment, but maybe one day, all these trips will finally happen! We did at least manage to squeeze in a couple of short trips to NC/SC beaches with both sides of the family. However, if you get sunburned like I do, or even if you don’t, there’s no substitute for the mountains.
Most recently, Faith and I spent a Memorial Day long weekend in Roanoke with some friends. Click here to read about that.
Universal Updates
A quick family update: my broken nose is healed, and I’m loving the benefits of my recent LASIK surgery. Faith is busy teaching 35+ music students and playing at a multitude of weddings (check out her website). Mom has recovered well from her 2019 gall bladder surgery. Dad is pretty much his normal self.
That’s about all the new news I’ll give, since I’m reasonably sure everyone is sick of hearing about quarantine projects and COVID opinions.
This trip will be Mom, Dad, and me, and for the first time [on a Church Trip] Faith! With four people, it will certainly be a new breed of adventure.
Initial Itinerary
The order is somewhat TBD, but we are planning on visiting the following locations on this trip:
- Glacier National Park (MT)
- Yellowstone National Park (WY, ID, MT)
- Grand Teton National Park (WY)
- Flathead Lake (MT)
- Great Salt Lake (UT)
- Missoula, MT
- Bozeman, MT
I’m sure we’ll hit a lot of other locations on and off the beaten bath, but so far this is the primitive plan. Closer to our departure, I’ll post an official introduction.
Macho Map
Here’s a general idea of our planned route…and no, we’re not planning on driving all that in one day, or even one week! Like any good road trip, it’s well spaced out with many stops along the way. Plus, this is nothing compared to driving all the way up to Maine.
Pretty Picture Previews
We head out around the beginning of July, so in the meantime, here are some photo previews of some of our destinations:
Casual Conclusion
As always, thanks for following our travels! I’ll try to avoid alliteration going forward. Click the button to subscribe via email to new post notifications.
See you soon.
– Isaac, Faith, Jerry, and Amy
All images are not mine, and are licensed under the Creative Commons licensing system.
8 Responses
Sounds amazing
Thanks for the update on your travels. The places you plan to go are familiar to me since Justin just visited some of them. Have a wonderful time.
I’ve been talking to him about the places he went. He’s recommended several hikes to me. Looking forward to it.
Heading to our old stomping grounds. Sounds like an amazing trip. Can’t wait to hear about it.
I am always so excited to hear about your plans and travel. Sounds like a great trip. Be safe and have fun.
Souns like a grand Church adventure awaits! My sisters and I have enjoyed all your stops on our various trips . Glacier with its breathtaking views on “Going to the Sun Road”, is something to behold and you just won’t believe the clarity of the waters there until to see them in person (it’s unreal).
Your Mom going to love the spectular views of the Tetons across from Jenny Lake and the other lakes with all the flowers in bloom. I’ve been in them all. I always have to get in the water when we visit (no matter how cold 🥶) even the Great Salt Lake with its multitude of brine flies that were like quick sand! (I think I’m getting way too old for this and really should stop, but something just won’t let me 😂) Oh, and the food at the Mural Room at the Jackson Lake Reastaurant in the Grand Tetons Lodgewwas something I highly recommend. I had the best succulent duck with some berry sauce and my sisters had some other treasures that were just as delicious. And for dessert, a lemon and huckleberry cheesecake put me on cloud 9. Highly recommend although menu may be totally different now. Every table has grand views of the Tetons. I can’t wait to see your travels and the food reports. My sisters and I are off to Alaska in August (jumping over Canada, but sure want to spend some time there once we can). Happy Travels!! 🏞
Right now, a lot of the restaurants in the parks are take-out only, but I’m hoping that’ll change by the time we get there. Was hoping to eat in the Mural Room.
Have fun in AK!
Thank you!