Western Vacation

By Deb and Becca Nixon (Oklahoma City)

Hi everyone! The Nixons headed out west on vacation in mid-July. First we went to Santa Fe, where we enjoyed walking around the beautiful city in the evening. The next day we attended Mass at the St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral and saw the miraculous staircase at the Loretto Chapel. Then we went on through Arizona to the Grand Canyon. We spent a day there, taking short hikes and driving along the rim a ways, to take in different views of the “big hole in the ground.” Actually, it was much more than that. The Grand Canyon is beautiful and an awesome sight. After that we drove over the Hoover Dam and into Las Vegas. We spent two days there, Dad and Beth gambling away our spending money, while Mom showed Becca and Deb all the sights. We stayed at the Tropicana and relaxed in the air-conditioned rooms quite a bit of the time, since it was 115 degrees outside. Some advice- don’t go to Vegas in July or until you are 21. Becca and Deb also recommend the Bellagio water fountain show to anyone who visits, as it was free for anyone under 21 to enjoy. Then we drove through Utah, stopping at Zion National Park for a nice afternoon hiking through the canyons and wading in the Virgin River. The next day we drove to Salt Lake City and stopped to see the Great Salt Lake. Some more advice- skip stopping at the Great Salt Lake. There has been a several year drought and the lake itself has shrunk quite a bit, so to get there you have to walk quite a ways through gross, scalding hot, salty sand in the blazing sun to actually see the water. Becca and Tom were the only ones to make it all the way to the lake, while Deb, Beth, and Pat went back to shower off their salty, burnt feet. Salt Lake City was beautiful though, and we walked around that evening and happened to come across a public concert given by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. We got to hear them sing a few songs and we also played around in the genealogical files at the Family Search Library researching Nixon and Holland family ancestors. The next morning we drove to Park City, UT and saw the Olympic Park there. We saw mogul skiers practicing by jumping, not into snow, but a bubbling pool. We also saw a luge track and other sights from the 2002 Olympics.

Then we drove on to southwestern Colorado, where we met up with many Holland family members. All the Nixons, Blutes, many Nieswiadomys, Aunt Mary, and Maria all had a great time during our week in Colorado. One day most of us went whitewater rafting on a class 3 river, where the water was 42 degrees and we were freezing in our wet suits. It was tons of fun though it was cold and rainy that day. Another day we climbed a mountain that was behind the house, all of us making it up different ways. Even little Kathleen and Claire made it up to the top! We also took a jeep tour up to Yankee Boy Basin where we got to see what Deb had been waiting for- snow! All the cousins had a snowball fight and enjoyed playing in the foreign white substance. We also saw beautiful wildflowers, waterfalls, and pretty mountain scenery. Another day we rode the gondola into Telluride, where many grandchildren have decided to invest in real estate once they find the millions needed to do so. We also enjoyed shopping in Ouray, going to the hot springs, and horseback riding. A big plus of the trip was the spirited solitaire games we played. In between all of these activities we ate well, fished in the pond near the house, and worked on numerous crossword puzzles created by Uncle Mike. There was quite a competitive spirit as the group worked to fill in the blanks with terms relating to our trip and often the stakes were quite high!

After two weeks on the road we were glad to be back home in OKC. Our weather has been fantastic for August- much cooler than normal. Now we are preparing to begin another school year. Deb will move into an apartment in Norman and begin her sophomore year at OU. Becca is in 8th grade at St. James and starts volleyball season right away. Pat is back as librarian at Westmoore HS for another year. Beth is working at Spectro for now and is exploring her other job options. Tom is eagerly awaiting the start of the college football season.

Ed Note: And the Dallas Cowboy season!!!