When Dave and Jan arrived at the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage in December of 2020 it was Jan’s hope that they would enjoy a cruise to Alaska, but the Corona Virus pandemic had most cruises on hold. So, as an alternative, they decided to go to Kentucky where Answers in Genesis developed a creation museum some years back and then, more recently, the Ark Encounter. They decided to drive to Kentucky, pulling their Kodiak Cub trailer behind their Toyota Highlander. The dates they settled on for their trip were August 9 (Jan’s birthday) through August 21 of 2021.

Because an avalanche in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado closed portions of I-70, the most direct route to Kentucky from Cedar City, Dave and Jan chose to drive I-80 on the trip east, returning on I-40 for the trip west. Stops along the way east included the KOA in Rock Springs, Wyoming; Buffalo Bill Ranch State Park in North Platte, Nebraska; a motel stay in Platte City, Missouri; and O’Bannon Woods State Park in Indiana.

Arriving in Kentucky, Northern Kentucky RV Park in Dry Ridge, KY became their “home away from home” for the next three nights.

After arranging lodging for Jan’s dog, Lola, the first visit to the Ark Encounter occurred on Friday afternoon/evening, August 13. In addition to the ark itself, a gospel concert series lasting forty days and nights was occurring on the premises, so the 2500 seat auditorium was humming with activities throughout each day. The ark grounds are beautifully landscaped, and they include food services, a zoo (with a petting zoo section), a large zip line, and a colorful playground for children.

The ark, the largest all-wood structure, was built according to the dimensions revealed in Genesis 6:15 (450 feet long; 75 feet wide; 45 feet high), using the expertise of Amish carpenters because of their experience with wood construction. The ark is filled with informative exhibits on each of three decks, envisioning every conceivable angle of the experience of Noah and his family and the animals. The first deck included storage options for food and water for the ark’s inhabitants, and features for waste-removal. The second deck featured wooden cages with life-sized examples of the animals which would have been on the ark. The third deck included living quarters for Noah’s family, along with numerous exhibits explaining the exit from the ark and the expansion of the human family on the refashioned earth. Dave and Jan stayed through the evening concert, making Saturday a full day.

Following a Sunday morning worship service with Dry Ridge Baptist Church, and dinner in the trailer, it was time to take in the Creation Museum further north about 40 miles near Kentucky’s northern border. Like the Ark Encounter, the museum is filled with exhibits detailing the scientific case for special creation and explaining innumerable details which demonstrate the credibility of the Biblical creation account. High-tech animatronics and artistically arranged dioramas make the museum a work of art, and beautifully landscaped grounds provide a beautiful setting for the museum and all the detailed information which it contains.

The trip home included stops at Piney River RV Resort in Tennessee; Lake Dardanelle State Park in Arkansas; Foss State Park in Oklahoma; and the KOA in Grants, New Mexico. Dave and Jan are very grateful to the Lord for their fifty-plus years of happy marriage, and for the opportunity to celebrate their relationship with such an interesting and informative road trip and their museum experiences at both the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum.

Among the many things Dave and Jan enjoy about Cedar City is its proximity to so many beautiful places. Just east of Cedar City is Cedar Breaks National Monument. Though the Balsleys have visited Cedar Breaks numerous times, they only recently took the hike from the normal visitors’ center (currently under re-construction). It was definitely a hike to be repeated.

Among the interesting features of the area is the presence of many Bristlecone Pine trees. Some Bristlecone Pines have been around for up to 5,000 years (according to the “experts”), and the park service indicates that Bristlecone Pines in the Cedar Breaks area are up to 2,000 years old.

Of course, there are also many beautiful flowers to enjoy at the monument.

Another nearby area of interest to Dave and Jan is Kolob Canyons – the western portion of Zion National Park. But just across the highway from the canyons is a country community, New Harmony, backed on the west by an interesting looking range of mountains. So a drive to New Harmony led to the New Harmony Trailhead with its picnic area and a series of trails – some of which lead up into the mountains which await discovery at another time in cooler weather.

And the view of the Kolob Canyons area from New Harmony is something to enjoy on its own!

Dave and Jan have been enjoying short (three-day) camping trips to various points of interest in Utah’s southwest and even into eastern Nevada. But it is very nice to have some beautiful areas to explore with only a short drive. In all of it the truth of the second verse of the hymn “I Am His, and He Is Mine” resonates for the Balsleys – “Heav’n above is deeper blue; earth around is sweeter green! Something lives in every hue Christ-less eyes have never seen”!