Spring Break Trip - Day 9

Got up really early (0600L) - not because I wanted to, but because of the time zone change and the roughly nine hour drive (plus, school/work tomorrow). I've got to admit that Nicky and kids did really well making it happen - even with the sad goodbyes. Fortunately, the weather was MUCH better and we crossed the mountains with no problem. To us, it was a sunrise as we came into the valley below. Made good time despite the obviously frozen snow along the road (and 30 degree F temperatures). Switched off I-40 at Amarillo and took US-287 towards Fort Worth. Stopped for gas and lunch near Clarendon, TX (DQ - drive-thru slow again: seems like all of them around that area are...). Great trip the rest of the way - best time we've ever made home from ABQ. It felt good rolling into our driveway - what a trip!!!

Spring Break Trip - Day 8

Arranged to meet Ellen at 0900L, but we ran into winter weather again... This time, we had a couple of inches of snow at the hotel and both Interstates were closed outside of town. Luckily, we were able to make it to Ellen and David's pretty place on the west side of town (near the Petroglyph National Monument - see NOV 2008). It was a great feeling for me to kick back and relax and the kids had fun playing with her dogs, Jack and Sneakers. After lunch, the kids went over to visit Ellen's horse, Rolex (see MAR 2009). They all really love horses and Ellen is so good about showing them how to act around them. We've been lucky to be able to spend time with her over the last couple of years and she is so patient with the kids. I actually stayed back to rest and wait for David - and when he arrived, we spent the afternoon checking out the new tech stuff he has. The ladies returned around 1700L. Ellen fixed a great dinner - steak tacos! Mary, Leo, Shannon and Sean, whose soccer games had been snowed out, were also able to join us. It's amazing, with everything we've done this week, that we just saw them only last Monday! The evening was very enjoyable -a nice way to end our journey. And, we stayed up much later than we meant to - before we realized it, the time was 2300L! Oh well, so much for getting back on Texas time before we get home! Ellen and David had graciously invited us to spend the night - it was good to be able to crash there. Went to bed with a view of the Sandia Mountains and twinkling stars of ABQ on the horizon...

Spring Break Trip - Day 7

Up pretty early again, but kids now getting used to time-zone... Left before 0900L and drove towards New Mexico. Stopped a little while in Winslow, AZ - famous from the "Eagles" song "Take it Easy." The smart folks there have built a tribute park - complete with guitar-playing hero (statue) and a window-reflection view of the "girl, my Lord" and her flat-bed Ford. As we drove out of town, the tourism channel was playing the song... Next stop was Subway for lunch. We spent most of the rest of the morning and early afternoon at the Petrified Forest National Park. In addition to the obvious attractgion, it is really the only park in the area that features great views of the Painted Desert. I made a mistake and didn't enter on the south side (off US-180) - that would have shortened the day a little... Still, we saw some really big tree sections (very colorful) and took a few short walks in valleys covered with petrified wood. There was a good museum about the animals who lived in the area many years ago - lots of fossils there too. Rest of the day was spent driving to Albuquerque. Not too bad of a trip - without snow! We were lucky, too, because as we reached the western edge of town the rain began and the temperature dropped below freezing. I-40 closed east of town and I was glad we already had our hotel from last year reserved. Had dinner at Burger King - with an indoor "play-place" jungle gym. At the hotel we barely had time for showers before bed (time zones again...). Tomorrow: Ellen and David!

Spring Break Trip - Day 6

Before we left Fort Worth I had hoped to leave Flagstaff for a northern trip to the Four Corners area (including stops at Monument Valley and Mesa Verde National Park), but I found several reasons not to along the way (time, tire, weather). To be honest, the little town of Flagstaff has been growing on me... We stayed close to the hotel today and will leave for Albuquerque tomorrow. First, we drove over to the Meteor Crater. I've seen it from the air, but nothing prepared me for the immense size and hidden inner fear I felt when I considered how something relatively small made it... The museum was very good and we had a nice guided tour of the crater rim. Lunch was at Subway. Next, we drove over to US-89 and took a tour along the road connecting the Sunset Crater and Wupatki National Monuments. Both were interesting - the first was just one of several mini-volcanos that popped out of the ground less than 1000 years ago (recent enough to entomb some Indian towns in the lava) and the second was a series of well-built Indian Pueblos scattered around the otherwise empty Painted Desert. We took hikes in both places (and the kids did a couple more Junior Ranger projects). The hardened lava on both sides of the road was even more impressive than the Valley of Fire (see MAR 2009). A highlight at Wupatki was a natural feature the Native American incorporated into their settlement called the "blow-hole." It provided a jet of cold air from an underground series of caves (what a great thing that must have been during a hot summer!). I was impressed by the whole area - certainly not a boring sandy desert. The colors were tremendous (certainly worth the namesake). I've got to say that I really like Northern Arizona: mountains, amazing terrain, trees, temperatures. Capped off the afternoon with a stop at the nearby Cameron (Indian) Trading Post. It was HUGE and had a restaurant, where Nicky and I tried the local fare: Navajo Taco and Navajo Stew. We bought lots of souvenirs before heading back to our hotel and fitting in one more swim. Kids definitely getting tired from the trip (sort of dreading Sunday night/Monday morning...).

Spring Break Trip - Day 5

Today was the big day (not just Saint Patrick's Day!): Grand Canyon! Everyone was up early again and - even with breakfast - we made it out on the road by 0830. Brenna navigated us onto US-180 (we've seen that one a bunch!) and we got a really scenic trip through the San Francisco Mountains up to AZ-64. Saw LOTs of snow (piled above car level in some places) and found out about the area's skiing/snow-shoeing. Not too many people moving about by the time we arrived at the Main gate for the National Park. Went to the visitors center and we enjoyed a ranger presentation before walking along the rim and basking in the great views. None of us had ever been here, so everything was new. Checked out the free bus system and I decided to take a gamble on the "red route" - it takes you out to Hermit's Rest (farthest West you can drive in the park). Pretty big line but worth the wait. We saw elk several times along the road and snow was everywhere. Got off for a quick snack at the end of the road and then took our time getting back to the bus-transfer station (made three stops with scenic views and hiking trails). Met some nice people (that has happened a lot on this trip) who told us the good things to try in the park - and that we should go to Sedona someday. Kids working hard on their junior ranger all day. Time got away from us - by the time we were done with the bus it was already 1530L! I took the bus back to the car while Nicky and the kids listened to a ranger presentation on the California Condor. Made it to the visitors center in time to get their pins. Then took AZ-64 to the eastern entrance of the park, stopping at nearly every canyon view until we got to a place for a beautiful view of the sunset. Mostly ate food in the car all day - not by choice but because of the lack of restaurants... As we exited the park, we all agreed that the trip had been an adventure - that all of it was more than we had expected. It would be nice to return and take the train from Williams to the park or stay in a hotel/campground there. Drive after sunset via US-89 was very pretty - even with a sliver of moon could see glimpses of the painted desert. Made good time to the hotel - kids even had time to swim for awhile before bed.

Spring Break Trip - Day 4

Everyone woke up earlier (0630!) because of the time change and the time zones... Saw TONS of Border Patrol in this area - and some speed zones that used unoccupied cars with cameras on top of long poles. As we drove towards Tucson, realized that we would actually be able to visit the nearby Saguaro National Park - something that Mollie had asked about since we left Texas ("can we see the Saguaros?"). It was definitely worth the southern detour just to walk among these unusual giant cactii. On unexpected curve-ball: as we drove up to the visitors center, a thoughtful person stopped by to tell me that we had a deflated rear tire. After attempting to solve this problem with our portable air-generator, I ended up having to put on the spare. Luckily, this didn't really affect the plans - still got another Junior Ranger pin. One nice thing about having an Autoport near my work is that the warrantee on tires they sell is good anywhere in the country at other Autoports. After a short drive, the nice folks in Tuscon's Autoport started right away to fix the tire (valve stem). We were only delayed by about two hours, all told - and we had time to get lunch and check out the old aircraft "bone-yard." I did think a few times about my Aunt Helen (who lived here for many years until she passed away a few years ago)... As we drove out of town, Nicky called our cousin, Tiger, and found out that he could meet us for dinner in Phoenix if we made it there in time. Drive was pleasant - still saw lots of Saguaros - and we drove into Phoenix just as everyone was headed out (rush hour). Had a great Italian dinner with Tiger and Kerris - it was nice to spend some time with them outside of the once-a-year Thanksgiving visits. We (sadly) said goodbye and drove north on I-17 just after sunset. The drive to Flagstaff was interesting: back in the mountains (up above 8000 feet a few times), temperatures dropped from 81 degrees F to 36 degress F. Told the kids ghost stories as we drove along in the spooky darkness. I was actually concerned about all the "elk crossing" signs in the darkness, but we made it to our hotel (near US-29) OK. Everyone crashed as soon as we got in the room...

Spring Break Trip - Day 3

Had heard that snow was forecast - and wanted to say goodbye to Leo and Sean (they were going skiing) - so got up around 0630L. Found the ground blanketed with about an inch of snow - and more was falling. Leo mentioned for us to be careful with speed traps along the roads, especially in Indian Reservations. Luckily, the roads were clear - but I wanted to get down off the mountains before it got worse. Got Nicky and kids moving (not by choice) and we left around 0815L, sad to leave the cousins. Our original plan was to drive to Albuquerque - but that was nixed when Mary showed me on her laptop that the pass west of the city (I-40) was closed. So, settled for a southern route - at least to I-25. No problems across the mountains on US-70 and had great weather across the White Sands. This time, we really didn't stop (except for gas) and made it to Las Cruces pretty quickly. Explored a little - not a bad town (especially Picacho neighborhood). Brought some food to eat in the car - saved time. Around noon, realized that I-25 wouldn't work for us - continued snow in ABQ - so decided to press on to I-10 into Arizona. Found an interesting possible future job site... As we reached US-180, decided to detour (better weather) to Silver City and the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. Things going well on that tack until I got pulled over for 53 in 45 zone (?) just as we reached town. Dampened spirits a little, but got to access road to park around (what we thought was) 1300L. Started to see interesting signs about how it was a "two hour drive from this point" - but only 40 miles. Two hours later, I understand: 20 mph all the way in some of the most remote country you will ever see in the lower 48 (see AUG 2007). It was beautiful - mountains, big trees, deer. After all the switchbacks and three mountains/valleys, the HUGE bummer at the end of all this was that we weren't able to see the actual dwellings after the drive! A road was out, increasing the hike from 1 hour to 3 - and they closed the trail earlier than normal accordingly. In addition, I figured out at this point that we hadn't adjusted our car clock to the new time (Daylight Savings) and we were off by an hour.... Nicky was more upset (at missing the view ?) than the rest of us - I may have spent a silver bullet on this one... After a short nature hike along the Gila River (that took out the bridge) near the birthplace of Geronimo, we drove back along the scenic (albeit LONG) road to Silver City and had a quick dinner at Taco Bell (dinner mistake #3 - wrong kind of tacos = free food). Drive out of town on NM-90 was very pretty - complete three sunsets (hills/mountains) and lots of deer on the road. Made it to I-10 around 2000L. Another time change as we entered Arizona (body clock getting confused...). Brenna wanted to be my navigator this evening - in addition to help me with the map, she found a hotel for us (Benson, AZ). It was a good place to stop after all our driving and the kids topped it off with warm cookies.

Spring Break Trip - Day 2

It took some coaxing for everyone to get out of bed this morning! The best thing about the day, though, was that it was really clear and warm. The mountains were covered with lots of snow. I had toyed with the idea of taking the kids to their first ski-lesson, but realized right before we left Fort Worth that they didn't have good clothes/jackets, etc. I had researched some alternate fun and figured out that there was a snow-tubing & sledding hill close by [at Ski Apache Resort]. Leo and the kids agreed that would be fun and we spent about three hours there. Leo and Mary had brought extra snow pants/coats/mittens from the condo stash, so the kids were well dressed when we started. However, it actually got so warm that we dragged the tubes through mud for most of the visit. The whole thing was still really fun - one of the highlights was that Leo, I and the five kids all fit in one raft-tube for a couple rides, even over a big jump. The only reason we left was because it got very busy and the kids wanted (late) lunch. While looking for Nicky and Mary - who had begun the day watching us - had disappeared off to some of the local shopping establishments... The rest of us had a fun lunch at Pizza Hut. Had our second food mixup of the trip (Denny's: food we ordered never came; Pizza Hut: food we ordered never came) - each time they've made it up to us with food to-go. Met Nicky and Mary over at the go-kart track. All of us had a great time racing each other (watch out for Erin - driving maniac!) on the mid-speed cars before we put Mollie, Shannon and Sean on the "Turtle Track" for a spin around at 2 mph (funny). Got back to the condo around 1630L and found Chuck there (another lucky family meeting). Spent an hour with shovels in the driveway and got it nearly all shoveled. Then had to get cleaned up (muddy) and ready so we could go out with him for dinner at the Texas Club (1800L). That was an exceptionally good meal - we all had Texas dice (chicken fried steak morsels) and plates across the table included catfish, chicken fried chicken, burgers and pasta. Everyone in a good mood when we returned to the condo. First, the kids tried the hot tub (see MAR 2009) and then the adults did. It was harder to get the kids to bed than last night - they were having too much fun playing with their Nintendo DS and watching TV. I was actually very tired and hit the hay around 2300L - but Nicky stayed up until well after midnight...

Spring Break Trip - Day 1

Spring break is here again! This time, goal is the Grand Canyon! But we'll also have to make our plans as we go because we want to coordinate visits with several different groups of relatives. One thing that did work last night in this area: we found out Bonnie and Kathy that they would be available to meet for lunch. So we left for Hobbs around 0830L. Our drive out on I-10 was pretty uneventful - hardly any traffic. Switched to US-84 just after Sweetwater and then got on US-180 in Snyder. This route has gotten pretty familiar - and we know when we need to get gas (see JUL 2008)... Made it to Hobbs around 1230L (with the time change) and had a very nice lunch with Bonnie and Kathy at Saturday's Restaurant. Spent a little time in the warm weather in Bonnie's garden before we hit the road again (around 1500L). Decided to take a different route to Ruidoso this time - via the Lovington Highway (NM-18). Drove through Lovington (saw Smokey Bear with his Fireman Friends at a carwash in the city center) eventually changed to US-380 near Tatum. Drive west from there was even more desolate than anything we usually see. In fact, we kind of missed the short delays we usually get in Artesia... Saw lots of flat, featureless land - along with some antelope-looking animals on both sides of the road. Bathroom breaks were impossible, so we stopped in Roswell to remedy that problem before continuing out on US-70 into Ruidoso. Had dinner at Denny's just after passing the race-track. Everyone in good spirits - and looking forward to seeing everyone. Up to that point, had only seen small amounts of snow on the low hills (mountains obscured by clouds & darkness) - but when we got to the condo we found ICE. And it was COLD! Luckily, the condo was warm and inviting. Spent about an hour trying shovel the stairs and a small part of the driveway - made a little headway... Part of our plan for the trip was to meet up with Mary, Leo, Shannon and Sean - who were also planning to be at the condo for the same weekend. They arrived soon after we did and everyone really had a nice time (with some of Mary's martinis - adults, bunk-bed "cave" - kids). Around 2200L, I went down to check on the five "young-uns" and found they had fallen asleep without telling us (nice!). Bed kind of late...

Redmond, WA (USA)

Woke up early and finished packing. After checking out of the Navy Gateway Inn, I reluctantly left Whidbey Island (0815).  I had an early afternoon flight but had forgotten how much time it took to drive back to Seattle (hence, my early departure). Had no traffic all the way down WA-20 to I-5 and made good time to Everett. Took I-405 around the east side of Seattle and took the opportunity to stop at Microsoft Headquarters (they call it "The Campus") in Redmond. Kind of a disappointing visitors center, but I did find out that they are hiring... After getting gas at a Chevron station in Renton (1055), I followed I-405 to the SeaTac Airport.  Before returning my rental car, I picked up some lunch at a Vietnamese noodle soup restaurant called Pho-Tai.  On the airport property, I returned my rental car to Hertz (1150) and headed inside the Terminal.  This was a fortunate decision, since the TSA line at the airport was as long as any I've ever seen (at least since 2002). While waiting, I met a lady from Idaho Falls who told me how I needed to bring my family there to explore that beautiful part of the country. At the gate (by 1315), I spent some time on the internet (free Wi-Fi) and watched the start of a snow storm... A window cleaner from El Salvador started to talk to me - it was an interesting conversation (he had 16 grand-kids!). Boarded on time but then had to sit and wait for de-icing (seemed kind of silly after the sun came out right as they started). Once we departed (1420, just after the scheduled time), the flight to DFW took about four hours again.  Put another way, I had enough time to finish nearly all the puzzles in the USA Today... I arrived in Texas just after 2000L but then had to wait for 45 minutes for my bags. Fortunately, the parking shuttle was right outside the door when I exited - I was able to get out of the parking garage by 2100 and made it home before 2130L. Great trip but I'm very glad to see Nicky and the kids!

San Juan Island, WA (USA)

Found out late last night that I wouldn't get a chance to fly today - disappointing, but that means I had some free time... Weather not as nice as yesterday (sprinkles all morning)... Drove over to Anacortes around 0900L and caught a car-ferry to the San Juan Islands. Amazing scenery, even with the low overcast. Saw water-skimming birds, lots of floating logs and unbelievably remote homes on the edge of small islands [I've since been told that there may be as many as 170 in this chain]. First stop was at Orcas Island - intriguing, but ferry schedule limited my ability to see more than one today. The ferry captain navigated through the chain adeptly - thank goodness for GPS, I guess, because I can't imagine how people can find their way around with no clear passages in view (island after island). Finally arrived at Friday Harbor, San Juan Island. Drove out of town (it isn't very big) and quickly found myself on a country road with noone else but cows and sheep. I've been reminded all day of the Maine Coast... Drove out to Lime Kiln Park - it is well known as the best place in the area to watch Orca (AKA Killer Whales) from the shore. Walked around for awhile on the beach but never saw anything in the water - photos posted on the Whale Watching board indicated that a pod last came through at the end of January. It also discussed the fact that the three pods (named J, K and L) are known as the "Southern Residents" and have been traveling between San Juan Island and Vancouver Island for many years. Weather was improving at this point - could see across to Canada and even the edge of the Olympic Range. I did see a bald eagle flying by... Drove down the coast towards the southern tip of the island - got stopped by a pre-fab home (so THAT's how they get the houses on the little islands!) trailer that had jack-knifed on the road (glad I had a local map). Finally made it to San Juan Island National Historic Park. This nearly became the place where a third war with England could have occurred (1859) when an American killed a Brit's pig on disputed land (uncovered by the treaty that made the 49th Parallel the US-Canada border). Thankfully, no people were killed and the dispute was finally resolved in the early 1870s (making these islands part of the US). Explored both the American Army Camp and (after short drive to the north side of the island) the British Camp. Later stumbled across Roche Harbor, a high-end resort [locals told me that it is one of the most utilized ports of entry to the US - by small boat!]. Drove back to town and had dinner at the Blue Water Bar & Grill. When I was about the leave, I ended up talking to two local residents who described their love for these islands and some of the challenges (mail delivery, child-birth back on the mainland, etc.). They were very genuine and friendly but their descriptions of this area reminded me of the feeling I had on Cape Cod when tourists would ask me for directions. When I left the restaurant I noticed that a long line of cars had assembled near where the ferry landing was - it got me to thinking "should I be worried about getting back tonight?" I decided to park in the line - wisely, it turned out. Made it out on the 1630L ferry, fortunately... As we "sailed" back to Anacortes, I saw short glimpses of a harbor seal (locals called him Popeye). Might have slept a little but for constant announcements (humorous) of two car alarms going off on the car-deck below... Drove back to the Navy Gateway Inn right after disembarking, happy with having taken a chance to see something like this. Spent most of the night packing and wrapping up some paperwork I brought with me.

Las Vegas, NV (USA)

Weather was great today - and flying made it even better! Saw some old friends and met Brian, who helped me get back in the saddle for our four legs. The WA-OR-CA mountain chain was very visible (and snow-covered!) but then the weather at altitude degraded all the way to San Diego. However, Coronado was almost cloud-free. Only on the ground for about 30 minutes before our next leg up to the San Francisco area. Saw the Golden Gate Bridge and most of the North Bay. Landed near Vacaville. Stop took a little longer because we ended up needing fuel but we were still on time when we left. Flight down to Las Vegas was interesting because we got to fly over China Lake and approached the city from the north. Saw cars driving on the raceway. Picked up our passengers and headed back to Washington after just a short stay. As we lined up we got a great view of the Strip. Weather a factor all the way to central (east) Oregon - but then saw everything from just south of the Columbia River. Came in just east of Mount Rainier and saw all of Puget Sound, Lake Washington, the Space Needle and Olympic Mountains - landing just after the sun set. I was really jazzed to have gotten some time in the plane after a nearly two month absence. Took care of all paperwork and then had dinner at Rice King. Played some video games and went to bed early (tired).

Whidbey Island, WA (USA)

Got up earlier than I wanted to (time zones...) but that meant I got over to work pretty early. Was hoping to fly for a couple of days while I am here, but it is becoming clear that might not work out. Spent most of the morning with my old friend, Nora - reviewing things she had questions on and taking care of normal planning. Had lunch at the club and then finished things up at work around 1530L. Went back to my room, intending to change and head out to enjoy the beautiful weather. However, I ended up doing more work in my room and, by the time I realized what time it was, soon saw the sun setting. Went to the gym for awhile and explored a little. Headed back to the room and got ready for my flight tomorrow - it will be very nice to fly again!

Port Townsend, WA (USA)

[CFLSW Inspection Trip] For once, didn't have to leave early for the airport... I arrived at DFW at around 1045, using parking lot this time (vice getting a ride from Nicky), and made my way quickly through Security.  After that, I arrived at the gate with plenty of time to spare (1130) and was on the (American Airlines) aircraft well before our scheduled departure time (1240).  Unfortunately, we then had to wait for a maintenance issue. Eventually, our flight to Seattle-Tacoma departed and, after being the air for about four hours, we somehow arrived on time (just before 1500L). I managed to get my Hertz Rental Car without much difficulty (1520) and left the airport property.  From the air, I'd seen the rush hour traffic going north through the city, so decided to go around the "scenic" way across the Olympic Peninsula. This was actually a little bit of a risk, since I didn't know the ferry schedule (or there even WAS a ferry). Drove down I-5 to Tacoma and then took WA-16 out to Bremerton (first time to see that big Navy area). If my ship-number memory is correct, the "Kitty Hawk" and "Constellation" (where I got my first traps) were resting peacefully there. This side was amazingly rural - all the way to the end of Route 16. Then on WA-3 (checked out quaint Port Gamble) to the Hood Canal and stunning views of the Olympic Mountains as I crossed! Turned north on WA-19 and intercepted WA-20 near Port Townsend. To my relief, found the ferry runs year-round - and that I had about an hour before the next one. Took a little time to look around town and get some souvenirs. As I recall, I was last in the town with the family in 1979 - the summer wait for the ferry was MUCH longer! Onboard on time for the ride over to Whidbey Island. Talked with a local lady on the way across - she has lived on most of the islands in Puget Sound - and learned about the local festivals and other points of interest. Our ferry arrived on the Island at a place located just inside the Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve.  I got a glimpse of this NPS unit in the setting sun. After that, my drive up to Oak Harbor was uneventful (except for being dark). Saw signs of the Penn Cove Mussel Farm [which, I learned later, was sponsoring a Festival during my visit]. Arrived at the NAS Whidbey Navy Gateway Inn (my lodging for the week) at around 2100L.  I was tired from my long day and spent the evening getting settled and watching TV before going to bed.  Whew!