On Monday we started to go over the schedule for the Roots Tech. We needed to choose which sessions we wanted to do on each of the four days - not an impossible task, but it did take us both Tuesday and Wednesday morning. The tricky part was that we didn't fully understand all of the class descriptions - shows how much we don't know.
Monday night we went to a ramen place for dinner.........it was delicious and I wish we could go again.
Tuesday for lunch we went with Renee to TRUreligion Pancake and Steakhouse.....yes it was a breakfast place all day long. surprisingly good! Renee and I shared a Monte Cristo Sandwich. Dad got biscuits and gravy - no surprise there.
Our last act of love in Utah was to search for Diet Dr Pepper Ten for Warren. We went to the nearest Winco and bought all the packages of Dr P 10 in the store - 36 total....about $200.00. We were excited because in previous trips, when we'd only been in Idaho, we had had to go to three or four stores and buy the 4 or 6 12-packs that they had in each store. We didn't want to have to spend the time doing that on the way home because all we wanted to do was go home.
Kinda turned out that Warren was a bit unhappy with the cost/quantity.....previously we'd always gotten the pop on sale, but not this time.
We headed straight to SLC to get to the Salt Palace to register. All of the info we'd gotten encouraged attendees to do this on Tuesday (after 4:00) to avoid the crowds. Well, it turned out to be unnecessary because registration took all of 20 seconds. But we did get a feel for the place. The amazing thing was that we found on street parking for the camper which was only two blocks from the Salt Palace.
There was a lot of construction in the area which had eliminated several restrooms, so mobile honey buckets were there - but inside the building as well as outside in a few places.
After we got our registration stuff and "complementary backpacks" we headed to the Becks
Beautiful house - grandiose kitchen - gracious family room ...and everything else
The Becks -Ray and Julie- are really nice; they were our mission president and companion after we were switched from the Central European Mission to the Russia Yekaterinburg Mission. Super easy to talk to, interesting, and humble. Our plan was to spend the nights (four of them) at their place, then, in the morning to drive the camper to the park and ride for TRAX (about 7 minutes away), park there for the day, then take TRAX to SLC and return home in the evening. It worked perfectly.
Tuesday night (our first with the Becks) they took us to Zupas which is a salad and sandwich place. Simple, easy, yummy and perfect!
Wednesday was the beginning of a BIG week.
TRAX was very convenient, affordable, and comfortable.
The place is huge! The attendees were numerous! By and large the sessions were packed - hip to hip - in rows of chairs that were connected and so there was very little wiggle room. After two days we finally figured out where to buy food in an area where there were tables. But in the meantime we ate in the main hall
The sessions were held in big conference rooms with two to four screens in the front.
Thursday night there was an event at the Theater in the Conference Center. Initially, I thought it was a session just for Family History Consultants, but it turned out to be a world wide presentation of family history to which many youth and ward leaders had been invited, and some Family History Consultants too.
While we were sitting there and listening, a cameraman on each side of the auditorium went up the stairs and then proceeded to video tape people sitting on either side of the aisle. Dad thinks they were zoning in on youth; it was a bit unnerving to have this camera practically in your 'lap/face and controlling one's inhibitions to not make a stupid face into the camere.
Both of us really enjoyed all the sessions we attended and learned so much. Actually, mostly, we learned that we don't know a lot more than we do know. I would leave a session thinking, "I have never heard about this" or "I had no clue!". I walked out of one session called Family Tree Maker and said to Dad, "I want to buy their product!"
There was an exposition, too, in a big hall. There were all sorts of vendors showing everything from photo restoration, to artwork, to professional genealogists, to books, to posters, to games, to software, to everything that may have any connection to genealogy.
We even learned about this free app which can be used to compile your missionary's letters and photos into a digital format which can then be made into a book and lovingly given to your missionary after they return home.
Here, in this photo, I am looking goofy because I did a computerish thing for the first time, but I don't remember what it was. The link is on the napkin.
Then, suddenly, after four exhausting days, it was time to return to wonderful Oregon and Home Sweet Home. We spent the night in a rest stop just west of Boise and got home by 2 pm on Sunday.
We were happily met by grandchildren. Abby was delighted to meet Jack our new rabbit.
Jude "found" some lemons on a tree in the greenhouse....so lemonade for all.
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