Date: Dec 2007
From: Sam & Sharon Schrock
Subject: Merry Christmas
It is difficult to believe that it has already been three months since we docked back in Seattle. We hope that everyone else enjoyed the cruise as much as we did! We stopped and had a short visit with relatives on the Oregon/Washington border and headed south for the Redwoods. They are still as awesome as they were twenty some years ago on our last visit to that area. We highly recommend checking out Ferndale and its bed and breakfasts if you are ever in the area. We also stopped at Mount St. Helens and Lassen National Park, which is also in Northern California. Lassen is where the last volcano had erupted on the mainland of the United States before Mount St. Helens in the early 1900's with at least 300 eruptions. We ended up in Reno for the night and traveled across Nevada the next day, stopping in Wendover. We paid $26 for the motel and discovered a casino afterwards that charged $22 with a $2.95 breakfast. The town was split with a time zone. We even won a whole $10! We also stopped in Salt Lake City then headed for home!
We have done some checking in Branson for 2009 and the Veterans celebration is always the same days! It is November 5 through the 11 th with a parade on the 11 th at 11:00 A.M. Charlie White is the Post Commander for the American Legion and I think is the one in charge of the parade. We can get a form to fill out to be in the parade at Post 220, P.O. 858 Branson, Mo 65615. (417-334-2296) you can also check out the website of www.bransonveterans.com If we want to be in the parade, I think renting the "World War II Ducks" would be a great way to transport us and if someone has a "banner" idea, that could be on the sides!
Sharon and I plan on being in Branson for New Year's eve and day plus a couple of extra days and hope to check on shows with meals, motels, etc to make some future plans for 2009. We appreciate feedback as to people's likes and dislikes.
Here are the closest airports and mileage:
The Springfield/Branson (SGF) National airport has 70 daily flights and connects to 8 international airports via six airlines. 417-869-0300
November weather can have highs in the 50-63 and lows in the 30-40's. The last time we were in Branson in November, the trees were just beautiful and it was in the 70's and 80's but it can also have an ice storm or snow! Since we were so blessed with weather on our Alaska adventure, we are going to pray for great weather in 2009!
Some suggestions for shows are the:
There are so many shows and we have been there several times and never had a bad one, even the cheap ones.
I am also going to try to see if I can get tickets for the Titanic exhibit, Inspiration tower and the IMAX that people can go on their own at their own time. There is also a great shopping outlet!
The Sight and Sound Theatre is to be built in 2008. We saw it in Lancaster, Pa and it is great. It is 3 stage sides and you are in the middle.
How many do you think will come? Ralph Fries had over 100 in his 1994 reunion. Judy Samuelson in AAA will try and book motel and shows for us and I hope that we can keep the cost low but that depends on the size of our group. They take pictures on the Branson Showboat so we can have a group picture done then! If AAA does the work then we do not have to answer to anyone money wise! This will be fun also but the food will definitely not be as good as the cruise! That is tough to top!
Keep in touch and we appreciate any future help. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love,
Sam & Sharon
Branson will have a new airport open in the spring of 2009