On Sunday 12 November 2023, Amanda decided it was a good day to make some applesauce. We worked through and processed quite a few apples that we had picked. The trees still have plenty more on them (and under).
We actually did pretty good at working together and not getting on each other’s nerves. We achieved quite a batch of applesauce. Here are some of the bottles.
Don’t the kids look smart and helpful in their aprons?
This is a photo of my mother from her time when she served in the United States Army. I really know very little about her time in the Army. I cannot even remember which base she served on for basic training.
I do recall it being in the south and her commenting about praying mantis so big they sounded like little flying helicopters coming in. She also recalled fireflies and how magical they were to her.
I don’t know how long she was in or even if she was honorably discharged. I recall hearing a story about something inappropriate that happened to her, but not sure if that got her out early or anything like that. She will not tell me anything, so I do not know that I will ever know.
However, in honor of Veterans Day, I share my closest veteran, my Mom. Happy Veterans Day!
This newspaper clipping caught my attention for a couple of reasons. Idahome is not too far from me in Cassia County, about 30 miles from Burley.
Apparently my Great Great Grandparents, James and Damey Ross, lived in Idahome in 1918. At least that is where their son Robert shows them as living when he registered for the draft in September 1918. They moved quickly to Paul, Idaho as I understand Jim worked the first sugar beet campaign that fall. It was in Paul they lived when their son, John, aka Jack, came to visit while on leave from the army in 1919. I don’t know how long Jim and Damey lived in Idahome. Other than that draft registration, I was not aware they were residing in or near Idahome. Either way, it now holds a place as an alleged residence of my Great Great Grandparents.
I thought I would share some pictures of first General Conference attendance dates for Aliza and Hiram. Aliza turned 8 in October 2018, so her first General Conference was 7 April 2018.
Hiram was not so lucky. He turned 8 in May of 2020, but there was no public General Conference in 2020. Hiram’s first attendance at General Conference took place in 2022 since that was the first weekend where we could make it work.
Hiram wanted a picture up near where Aliza had first attended.
For the 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse on October 14, we traveled to Wells, Nevada. We wanted to be in the path of totality for the full experience.
We booked a hotel in Wells, Nevada and drove down Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, when we arrived, we found out the entire hotel had been somehow double booked. There was no room at the inn. That was a total surprise and disappointment. We looked up available hotels, there was nothing available within many miles. The options were either to just sleep in our van or go home. We could have ventured back to Jackpot for a really expensive hotel room, or… We just didn’t know.
We did have a dinner appointment with Jordan and Kari Brough. Since we already had that dinner appointment, we decided to keep it and figure things out later. He was a missionary in Oklahoma City and we have kept in contact over the years. I knew he was in Nevada. I reached out and indicated we would be in his neck of the woods and he invited us over (he said to return the favor of dinners in Oklahoma. We had a great dinner with them and their three little children. The food and company was great, very worth the visit.
After dinner, the Broughs asked us about our hotel accommodations. We were not planning on saying anything but we told them. They expanded their dinner invitation to include overnight stay! Which, we were afraid we would impose on them and they would do such. Kari is also pregnant. We had very limited options so we were happy for the chance. We emphasized that they must give us an opportunity to return the favor. We expressly invited them for the Burley Idaho Temple Open House or any other time they may be in our area.
Another perk of staying at the Brough home was that they live in Clover Valley, part of the way between Wells and Ruby Valley. It reduced part of our trip to Ruby Valley. We had a pleasant breakfast with the Broughs, saw their chickens, and headed out.
We had already designated Ruby Valley as the location to meet with Amanda’s family from Utah. We chose The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints branch building in Ruby Valley. The Broughs told us to look out for the Neff family while we were there. Sure enough, a contingent of their family were there to watch the eclipse at the building too.
We went to Rexburg in 2017 for the total eclipse so we had expected something similar. It certainly did not get as dark. Bryan had his camera taking proper shots as the eclipse occurred. You can see the result above. We were very luck to be between clouds for the entire eclipse. The forecast had said it would be about 30% cloud cover, and they were about right. We were really worried we would get cloud cover for the full eclipse and we might not be able to see the sun at all.
Nothing quite adds up in the mind with the changes of light with an eclipse. This was no different. Even as we were driving out to Ruby Valley and the partial eclipse was starting, my eyes were not happy. My mind seemed to be trying to focus as it recognized something was wrong with the light.
It was already a partially chilly day. I do not think the eclipse helped at all. But we were just along for the ride.
It was worth the drive. We are already looking into plans to make the April 2024 eclipse happen. It might be the last chance our children, or either of us, get to experience another eclipse in our lifetime. Where to go to maximize the eclipse length, reduce travel issues, lower costs, but yet avoid potential cloud cover. Where will we end up?
The Ross family took to the road again for Spring Break March 2022. I am writing a separate post related to Crater Lake because it is fun to have multiple photographs in the same instant. The photo above was snapped by Amanda. Here is the photo I snapped at close to the same moment of time of her taking the photo.
It shows a broader view of the photo Amanda snapped. Then to add to it, I turned around and took a picture the opposite direction. Hiram is holding the camera that Amanda just took the top photo. You can also see the Ross Family mode of transportation, the 2012 Nissan Quest. We are sad Nissan no longer makes vans. It has been a great vehicle, as well as the 2004 Nissan Quest we had before it.
We arrived at Crater Lake 19 March 2022. You can see the snow on the ground. We were able to get to the Visitor Center but not to get down near the lake or even see the lake from the Visitor Center. We were in the clouds in a snow storm.
I have two copies of the History of Plain City, Utah. The front indicates it is from March 17th 1859 to present. As far as I can tell, the book was written in 1977. At least that is the latest date I can find in the book.
One copy belonged to my Grandparents Milo and Gladys Ross. My Grandpa has written various notes inside the history which I intend to include in parenthesis whenever they appear. They add to the history and come from his own experience and hearing.
I will only do a number of pages at a time. I will also try to include scanned copies of the photos in the books. These are just scanned copies of these books, I have not tried to seek out originals or better copies.
History of Plain City March 17th 1859 to present, pages 33 through 38.
Past Bishops of Plain City
Wilmer J. Maw 1920–1926
George E. Knight 1949–1953
Elvin H. Maw 1944–1949
Charles L. Heslop 1936–1944 (Married Milo Ross & Gladys Donaldson April 1942)
George A. Palmer 1926–1936
Gilbert Thatcher 1913–1920
Henry T. Maw 1910–1913
Charles L Heslop, 1936-1944
Elvin H Maw, 1944-1949
George E Knight, 1949-1953
Merrill Jenkins, 1953-1959
Lyman H Cook, 1959-1964
Rulon Chugg, 1960-1965, 2nd Ward
Plain City Ward – Wayne W Cottle, 1964 –
Plain City Ward – Orlo S Maw, 1965
Kent Calvert, 2nd Ward 1971-1974, 3rd Ward 1974-
Robert Sharp, 2nd Ward 1974-
Kent Jenkins, 1st Ward 1971-
PLAIN CITY BRANCH OFFICER
1859 – 1977
Submitted by Roxy Heslop Gilbert Thatcher 1913 – 1920
PRESIDING ELDERS Wilmer J Maw 1920 – 1926
William W Raymond 1859 – 1863 George A Palmer 1926 – 1936
John Carver                            1863 – 1866               Charles L Heslop                    1936 – 1944
William W Raymond 1866 – 1870 Elvin H. Maw 1944 – 1949
Lewis W Shurtliff 1870 – 1877 George F Knight 1949 – 1953
FIRST COUNSELORS Merrill Jenkins 1953 – 1959
Daniel Collet 1859 – 1866 Lyman Cook 1959 – 1964
John Carver 1872 – 1877 Wayne W Cottle 1964 – 1971
SECOND COUNSELORS Kent Jenkins 1971 –
Jeppe G Folkman 1859 – 1872
~
PLAIN CITY FIRST WARD
John Spiers 1872 – 1877 FIRST COUNSELORS
CLERKS John Spiers 1877 – 1895
John Spiers 1859 – 1872 Abraham Maw 1895 – 1901
William W McGuire 1872 – 1877 Peter C Green 1901 – 1903
PLAIN City Ward Officers 1877 – 1977 Henry J Garner 1903 – 1906
BISHOP Peter M Folkman 1906 – 1910
Lewis W Shurtleff 1877 – 1883 James L Robson 1910 – 1920
George W Bramwell 1883 – 1906 George A Palmer 1920 – 1926
Henry T Maw 1910 – 1913 Elvin H Maw 1926 – 1936
Gordon F Thompson 1936 – 1944 Abraham E Maw 1936 – 1944
L Rulon Jenkins 1944 – 1949 Fred L Singleton 1944 – 1946
Leslie T Maw 1949 – 1953 Llewellyn Hipwell 1946 – 1949
Elmer Ericson 1953 – 1956 Howard Hadley 1949- 1953
Rulon Chugg 1956 – 1956 William Searcy 1953 – 1955
Thad Carlson 1959 – 1960 Rulon Chugg 1955 – 1956
Carl Lund 1960 – 1964 LeRoy P Folkman 1956 – 1959
A Lew Jenkins 1964 – 1966 Kent Jenkins 1959 – 1964
Darwin J Taylor 1966 – 1971 Delmar L Tanner 1964 – 1969
G Earl Thompson 1971 – 1972 Blaine R Jensen 1969 – 1971
Gary Jackson 1974 – Steven Miller 1971 – 1974
SECOND COUNSELORS Gary Jackson 1972 – 1974
Peter C Green 1877 – 1901 Jerry Bradford 1974 –
Samuel P Draney 1901 – 1903 WARD CLERK
Peter M Folkman 1903 – 1906 William McGuire 1877 – 1887
Peter P Green 1906 – 1907 George Carver 1877 – 1890
William G Rhead 1907 – 1910 Peter C Green 1890 – 1903
William C Carver 1910 – 1913 William Kenley 1903 – 1907
Marion Knight 1913 – 1914 William A Kerr 1907 – 1914
William England, Jr 1914 – 1920 William H Heslop 1914 – 1936
Elvin H Maw 1920 – 1926 LeRoy P Folkman 1936 – 1942
Thomas Jenkins 1926 – 1936 Fred L Singleton 1942 – 1944
Walter Moyes 1944 – 1947 A Glen Charlton 1963 – 1965
A.Lew Jenkins 1947 – 1951 Gaylen Hansen 1965 – 1966
Herbert E Barnes 1951 – 1953 Kent Calvert 1966 – 1971
Blair Simpson 1953 – 1959 Robert Sharp 1971 – 1974
Glen A Charlton 1953 – 1959 Rodney Roper 1974 –
Kent Jenkins 1957 – 1959 SECOND COUNSELORS
Willard Wayment 1953 – 1959 A Glen Charlton 1960 – 1963
Harold Hadley 1959 – LeRoy Folkman 1963 – 1965
Wayne Skeen 1959 – 1965 Denton Hall 1965 – 1971
Vernon Smith 1965 – 1965 Donald Skeen 1971 – 1974
Robert Wade 1965 – John Stevens 1974 –
Clair Truscott 1965 – 1971 CLERKS
Walter Moyes 1960 – 1965
~
PLAIN CITY SECOND WARD Lewis Moyes 1965 – 1974
Created June 12, 1960 R John Maw 1974 – 1976
BISHOPS Duane Bullock 1976 –
Rulon Chugg 1960 – 1965
~
PLAIN CITY THIRD WARD
Orlo S Maw 1965 – 1971 Created June 23, 1974
Kent Calvert 1971 – 1974 BISHOPS
Robert Sharp 1974 – Kent Calvert 1974 –
FIRST COUNSELORS FIRST COUNSELORS
Jay Taggart 1960 – 1963 David Petersen 1974 – 1976
Layne Thompson 1976 –
SECOND COUNSELOR
Robert Lewis 1974 – 1976
F. LeRoy Williams 1976 –
CLERKS
Keith Hamp 1974 –
~
A little over two years ago, we did a trip through the US Northwest. One of our stops was the Route of the Hiawatha trail. We were a bit concerned initially as the kids were 9, 8, 5, and 3. But that turned out to not be a problem. Hiawatha had bikes for us, a tandem bike for Lillie, and a bike trailer for James.
You have to book your tickets at the nearby Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area. We rented our bikes there as we did not take bikes with us on our trip. They delivered the bikes to the beginning of the trail so we did not have to worry about getting the bikes from Lookout Pass to the trail. The night before we stayed about 45 minutes away in Superior, Montana.
As an interesting side note, we ran into Clay Handy and his family at Hiawatha. I hadn’t expected to run into anyone from Cassia County on the trail, let alone the parking lot!
Route of the Hiawatha literally follows the old train line from Chicago to Seattle. The last passenger train passed through in 1961. Afterward the rail lines were removed and much later the idea of a biking trail was conjured. That is why the trail is so agreeable with so many people, it is train grade. Starting on the Montana line it is literally downhill for the entire time! Those who get to the end and do not want to ride all the way back uphill can take a bus back to the Taft tunnel. Then you only have to ride the mile tunnel through St. Paul Pass back to the trail head.
There were some breathtaking views, which is one of the draws of the trail/ride as well.
The bike trailer turned out to be pretty convenient. James slept the entire time! All 15 miles! But he kept our backpacks company.
The Hiawatha trail boasts 10 train tunnels, 9 that you actually get to ride through.
Hiawatha also boasts 7 sky-high trestles. That was a pretty exciting part of the ride. If you are afraid of heights, you can see the trestles are wide and have a road base. You can stay in the middle and then venture out to the side to safely take a picture.
If you are really adventuresome, you can even look down below.
Here is another view of crossing one of the trestles.
As you can see, the trail is wide and safe. Even on the trestles they have ensured safety with the cables. Injury will come only to those who are reckless or careless. Some of the trestles are truly sky high.
Here is another view up from the trestle view above.
Lillie was able to ride a tandem bike. Frankly, it was the perfect fit as she worried us if she had to be on her own bike.
Some of the tunnels as you approached looked somewhat scary. But the closer you got you could see there was sufficient light in the tunnel.
The trail is well maintained. You can see that they put some extra protection near the tunnels to avoid rocks falling on the trail.
The trail is only open during the best season. It opens in May and goes through September. These photos are from our visit on 3 August 2020.
There are some restrooms along the trail. We had lunch at one of them. You can always pull over anywhere else if you wish. The trail has plenty of space. James even slept through snack time.
It was here at Pearson we loaded up on busses altered with bike storage in the back to haul us and our bikes back to the Idaho side of the Taft Tunnel. We had to go back through the mile long tunnel to get out on the Montana side. There we were able to turn over our bikes and be done.
We stayed that night in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Other than our stop to visit the graves of family in Mullan, Idaho, we traveled the hour drive to CDA. I had a lengthy hearing the next day so I felt I needed to prepare. I would highly recommend the Route of the Hiawatha to anyone who needs a great opportunity to ride bikes, see nature, and experience train tunnels and trestles.
Sagacity 