As we prepare to return to China, we wanted to give all of you a visual account of our time in the USA by showing some of our favorite pictures we have taken along the way. The numbers on the map below correspond to the numbers to the left of each photo. The photos are in chronological order. Click on a photo to enlarge it and view it in a slide show.



Our friend, Mina, who we stayed with in Claremont, California, for a few days after our arrival (October 2007).
Chuck, Susannah, and their sons in Los Osos, California (November 2007).
Thanksgiving in La Mirada, California, with Trevor and Dave's mom (November 2007).
Breakfast with our friends, Don and Lisa in Anaheim Hills, California (November 2007).
The first stop on our first of two big road trips: Loyalton, California (November 2007).

Dave with his sister, Dorothy, in Loyalton, California (November 2007).
Next destination: Park City, Utah to visit Wendy's sister and friends (December 2007).
Grazing elk in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado (December 2007)
Former boss, Dave, with his wife, Debbie, in Estes Park, Colorado (December 2007).
Friends Mark and Nannette in Colorado Springs, Colorado (December 2007).

Wendy with her relatives, Truman, Helen, and Margaret, in Colorado Springs, Colorado (December 2007).
A Hanukkah feast with friends Julie and Brian in Colorado Springs, Colorado (December 2007).
Our friends, Elaine, Magnus, and Mia in Colorado Springs, Colorado (December 2007).
Window Rock, Arizona (December 2007).
Our friend Bonnie in Window Rock, Arizona (December 2007).

Some friends in Flagstaff, Arizona (December 2007).
Our friend, Heather, and her children in Santa Maria, California (December 2007).
Wendy's mother with her new great-granddaughter, Camarillo, California (December 2007).
Cousin Brittany, Uncle Sym, and Trevor at Christmas in Camarillo, California (December 2007).
Our friend Christy in Santa Ana, California (December 2007).

Our friends Steve and Annette with their sons in Santa Ana, California (December 2007).
Our daughter-in-law's parents, Brian and Liz, in Lakewood, California (December 2007).
Some of our Southern California friends (Shirley, Don, Chris, Toney, Mike, Debbie, Paul, Wendy, Dave, Frank, and April) in Westminster, California (December 2007).
Wendy's and Dave's moms visit each other in Camarillo, California (January 2008).
Wendy with Florence, Adina, and Lai Chan in Penang, Malaysia (January 2008).

The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur (January 2008).
Dinner with our friends, Todd and Lisa, in Templeton, California (February 2008).
Visiting Kona, Hawaii, with Wendy's mom (March 2008).
A praying mantis in Kona, Hawaii (March 2008).
Dave with his students in Kona, Hawaii (March 2008).

Morro Rock surrounded by fog in Morro Bay, California (March 2008).
Dave with elephants seals in San Simeon, California, on his birthday (April 2008).
Pfeiffer Beach, Big Sur, California (April 2008).
Wendy with our bearded son, Trevor, in San Marcos, California (April 2008).
We met this couple, Ken and Stella, in Cuckfield, England, who might be distant relatives (May 2008).

Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, England (May 2008).
The white cliffs of Dover, Kent, England (May 2008).
Beach huts in Herne Bay, Kent, England (May 2008).
Rosemary and David, a nice couple we stayed with in Herne Bay, Kent, England (May 2008).
Enjoying the sunset with friends in Los Osos, California (May 2008).

On our second big road trip, we stopped in Albuquerque, New Mexico to visit Danielle and Scott (May 2008).
The largest cross in the western hemisphere, near Groom, Texas (May 2008).
The view from our room in Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas (May 2008).
Dave with relatives Denzil, Evan, and Michael (a second cousin) in Crane, Missouri (May 2008).
The grave marker of John Brown (Grub) Hudson (Dave's great-great-grandfather) in Flat Creek, Missouri (May 2008).

Our friends, Jon and Geri, with their daughter, Rachel, and children in Nashville, Tennessee (May 2008).
Our friend, Samuel, poses next to the logo Dave designed for him in Virginia Beach, Virginia (May 2008).
Sarah was Ian and Trevor's fifth-grade teacher in Gaithersburg, Maryland (June 2008).
Our friends, John and Tracy with their children in Derwood, Maryland (June 2008).
Our friends Suzie and Greg with their children in Gaithersburg, Maryland (June 2008).

Our friends Bryant and Tiffany with their baby in Gaithersburg, Maryland (June 2008).
Linda and Bruce with their children, whose home we stayed in, in Gaithersburg, Maryland (June 2008).
Our friend, Adele, in Port Washington, Long Island, New York (June 2008).
We took a ferry from the tip of Long Island across the sound to Connecticut (June 2008).
Friends Anne and Frank in Westerly, Rhode Island (June 2008).

We visited Dave's Uncle Frank in Danbury, Connecticut (June 2008).
Dave with his Aunt Dorothy in Pelham Manor, New York (June 2008).
An old church in Clarion, Pennsylvania, where we did some family history research (June 2008).
Mary (a distant relative) and Wendy in Clarion, Pennsylvania (June 2008).
We stayed at the Red Brick Inn, Emlenton, Pennsylvania on Wendy's birthday (June 2008).

Our friends Rod and Seog Lae in Springfield, Ohio (June 2008).
We stayed with our friend, Jackie, in Springfield, Illinois (June 2008).
The house where Abraham Lincoln was living in Springfield, Illinois, when he was asked to run for president (June 2008).
Wendy visits her Aunt Agnes in Appleton, Wisconsin (June 2008).
Dave with his brother, Dennis, in Green Bay, Wisconsin (June 2008).

Wendy with her cousin, Diane and her husband, Paul, in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin (June 2008).
We stayed with Wendy's cousin, Dave, and his wife, Paula, in Neenah, Wisconsin (June 2008).
Wendy with her Aunt Thelma and son, Steve, in Sauk City, Wisconsin (June 2008).
Wendy's cousin, Laurie, with her husband, Russ, and children in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin (June 2008).
Wendy with her cousin, Jean, in Fridley, Minnesota (June 2008).

Visiting our friends Martin and Karen in Stillwater, Minnesota (June 2008).
We stayed with Simon and Sandy and their children in North St. Paul, Minnesota (June 2008).
We saw a drum and bugle corps competition in Stillwater, Minnesota (June 2008).
Visiting Wendy's relatives, Lucy and Glen in Shoreview, Minnesota (June 2008).
Jenna and Kelly used to play with our children when they were all young, and now live in Orange City, Iowa (June 2008).

In Milbank, South Dakota, we stopped to visit Wendy's relatives, David and Ruth (June 2008).
Wendy's grandfather, Walter McFarland, was buried at the cemetary in Milbank, South Dakota (June 2008).
Wendy's cousin Jake in McClusky, North Dakota (June 2008).
This is Wendy's cousin Tom's farm where we stayed in McClusky, North Dakota (June 2008).
Wendy's cousin Tom with his wife, Jeanne, where she works in McClusky, North Dakota (June 2008).

Our friend Sherri in Lakeside, Montana, (June 2008).
Flathead Lake in Lakeside, Montana (June 2008).
We stopped for breakfast with our friends, Ron and Margaret and their children, in Grants Pass, Oregon (June 2008).
We spent time with our friends Louise and Brian (and family) in McKinleyville, California (June 2008).
Dave with his second cousin, Barbara, and her husband, Eric, in Loleta, California (June2008).

We stopped for lunch in Mendocino, California, (June 2008).
Our friends, Justin and Lai Chan, in San Francisco, California (July 2008).
The Bay Bridge in San Francisco, California (July 2008).
Our friends, Norman and Jackie, in Fremont, California (July 2008).
College friend, Maryam, with her husband Don and children in Newark, California (July 2008).

Our friends Nader and Sally, where we stayed in San Jose, California (July 2008).
Nicholas, Teresa, and their children, friends we stayed with in Fresno, California (July 2008).
Our friend, Laurie, with her mother Suzie (left) and husband John (right) in Visalia, California (July 2008).
Our friends Jim and Terry who used to live in Los Osos, but are now in Visalia, California (July 2008).
Dave with his niece Margaret's children, Paloma and Diego, La Mirada, California (July 2008).

Wendy with another distant relative, Eva, in Reseda, California (July 2008).
We visited the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, with Dave's mom, his brother Bob, and his family (July 2008).
Our friends Brent and Franci eat Chinese food in Fullerton, California (July 2008).
Our friends, Jenny and Steve, visited Baldwin Park, California with their daughters (July 2008).
Dave's college friend Flo and her brother Dave, in Campbell, California (July 2008).

Our friends, Teresa and Joel, with their three sons in Los Osos, California (July 2008).
Visiting Jan and Peter, friends in Arroyo Grande, California (July 2008).
Having coffee with our friend, Clark, who was visiting Los Osos, California (July 2008).
Our friend, Ron, who graciously loaned us his car for six months! Reseda, California (July 2008).

US Road Trip Statistics

Here's some interesting statistics from our second road trip, which we took from May 21 to July 5, 2008.

Total Number of States Visited: 29

1. California11. Maryland21. Wisconsin
2. Arizona12. Delaware22. Minnesota
3. New Mexico13. Pennsylvania23. Iowa
4. Texas14. New Jersey24. South Dakota
5. Oklahoma15. New York25. North Dakota
6. Missouri16. Connecticut26. Montana
7. Arkansas17. Rhode Island27. Idaho
8. Tennessee18. Ohio28. Washington
9. North Carolina19. Indiana29. Oregon
10. Virginia20. Illinois

Total Miles Driven: 11,135 Miles

Mileage at start of trip (Los Osos): 124417
Mileage at end of trip (Camarillo): 135552

Number of Beds Slept in: 20

1. Albuquerque, NM6. Gaithersburg, MD11. Neenah, WI16. Grants Pass, OR
2. Oklahoma City, OK7. Port Washington, NY12. St. Paul, MN17. McKinleyville, CA
3. Horseshoe Bend, AR8. Clarion, PA13. Orange City, IA18. San Jose, CA
4. Nashville, TN9. Emlenton, PA14. McClusky, ND19. Fresno, CA
5. Virginia Beach, VA10. Springfield, IL15. Lakeside, MT20. Camarillo, CA

Number of Springfields Visited: 4

1. Springfield, Missouri
2. Springfield, Tennessee
3. Springfield, Ohio
4. Springfield, Illinois