Washington, DC (USA)

I don't use Facebook very often, but last night I figured out one of my friends from Notre Dame (Frank) was in Washington this week. Since I now work downtown, we coordinated a meeting this morning (0930) near the Air & Space Museum. It is nice to be able to walk just a few blocks to visit with people... After some phone-call guidance to him, we met up near L'Enfant Plaza Metro Station. It was nice to see him - I think it may be more than 10 years since we were actually in the same place. He had his daughter with him and she was very excited to see the interesting things the Smithsonian has to offer. After about an hour, I had to get back to work. The day went pretty well (I'm getting up to speed every day with very few distractions during this "holiday week"). I was mindful through the day that the Notre Dame / Florida State Bowl Game was going to start at 1730. Tim called to tell me he, Elizabeth and Katie would be watching at Harrington's Irish Pub (see APR 2011) - fortunately only a short drive from the Huntington Metro Station... I made it only a few minutes into the first quarter and had some good appetizers and local brew while we watched. The game was pretty good while I was watching and eating my dinner (chicken pie and bread pudding). About halfway through the fourth quarter, Elizabeth wanted to walk back with Katie (bed-time), so I went with her while Tim tried to glimpse Irish victory (but he was denied - they ended up losing...). As I've commented several times, National Harbor living is great. Actually, that fits with a lot of places around the DC Metro - you really don't need a car if you don't want one. Hung out for a short time before I drove back home (2130).

Oxon Hill, MD (USA)

Slept in this morning - and relaxed for a few hours (paying a little for last night...). It was nice to visit with Tim, Elizabeth and Katie (who is now hugging me and calling me "Uncle Terry") for a little longer. Didn't leave until around 1300 - and when I got back to Bob's I took a nap for a few hours. Woke up and had some dinner and then watched football with Bob. Bed a little early tonight - prepping for a new work week...

Oxon Hill, MD (USA)

I woke up a little late this morning (no kids to tell me it was time to open presents...). After relaxing around the house - laundry, etc. - drove over to National Harbor to see Tim, Elizabeth and Katie (1400). We had a nice dinner and some great drinks for several hours - lots of visiting (including Skype with Bonnie and family in Hobbs). After dark, we walked down to the Waterfront and through the Gaylord Hotel - very fancy displays. That is also going to be the site of next year's Thanksgiving (wow!). It was fun to enjoy another day of the convenience of shopping, restaurants and entertainment near their home - it is tempting to think my own family could live there... We watched some TV as it got later and moved on to hot toddy's - before I realized what time it was, it was well after midnight... Fortunately, Elizabeth had forseen this and made up the futon in their spare room. Merry Christmas!

Washington, DC (USA)

Folks at work had been telling me about all the free and interesting things there are to do in Washington, DC, during the holidays. One thing I've always wanted to see was the National Christmas Tree. So, after finishing my day at the office, I headed over to the Metro and took the Orange line to Federal Triangle. When I got out of the Station I found myself inside of a maze within the Ronald Reagan office complex - made it out onto Constitution Avenue and followed the crowds down to the Elipse. The tree (unfortunately) was a new one - much smaller than the one I've seen on previous (non-Christmas time) visits. I guess there was a major storm this year that required a replacement... The decorations were very pretty - and there were short trees from each state circled around the main one. I heard some interesting comments about those (like "who the hell cares about Nebraska?") - aren't we Americans just so polite? After getting a glimpse of the White House, I walked back across the Mall to L'Enfant Plaza - along the way seeing an intriguing museum in the window of the Department of Energy building... I took the Metro back to my car and, as I exited the garage, it started to pour. It was only then that I realized I didn't have my unbrella today (I'm so happy I walked quickly tonight!)... Picked up some dinner (to go) from New China Taste next to the Huntington Station (mmm...).

Oxon Hill, MD (USA)

Tim picked me up this morning to show me around the area. This (along with last night, when I toured the Huntington Courts) was the first chance I'd had to explore the apartment possibilities in the area. We ate some breakfast at Dunkin Donuts before he drove me out on the George Washington Parkway as far south as Fort Hunt. We drove around a bit in the Belle Haven area and some other neighborhoods near Huntington Metro Station. We then drove over to Old Town Alexandria and stopped at FEDEX/Kinkos for business cards. While looking for a place to park, we saw one of the early Lee homes. Tim had to pick up Katie at their townhouse, so we headed over to National Harbor to get her. This was the first chance I'd had to see inside their new home - very nice. With Katie onboard, we drove back across into Virginia and did some shopping (near Braddock Road). We also stopped in the Eisenhower area and I toured the Meridian Apartment complex - VERY fancy but no short term leases. Lunch was at nearby Jimmy John's. Katie hasn't quite warmed up to me yet, so when we were done she told me "you have to go home now, I'm going to see my friends" (!). Tim took us back to his house and we walked down from there to see a kids' show at Bobby McKey's Dueling Piano Bar. The line was pretty long (even with reservations that Elizabeth made), so I took a break and checked out the leasing office for the National Harbor (they were closed). I arrived back at Bobby McKey's just in time and we sat in the back while scores of children sang and danced to the piano favorites and the adults relaxed. I met several of Tim & Elizabeth's friends. Afterwards, explored Potomac Gourmet (where the beer stock-boy knows Elizabeth by name) we walked back up the hill (the place is so convenient for so many great activities!). Spent a little longer with my cousins (had a taste of Mad Elf) before heading back to Bob's (soon after dark). It was a nice day!

Rockville, MD (USA)

Lee had this great idea a few weeks ago - "why don't you come with us up to Rockville to see how our meetings with the contractor go?" It seemed like a good plan at the time - but my mind is now swimming with traffic jams on the beltway, Metro stations, DC walking and new job usernames & passwords. The question: "Is there room for more?" Up at 0600 again, made my way onto I-495 and (along with LOTs of other people), drove around the city. Lots of construction and a few accidents, but I made it across the Potomac (into Maryland) alright - all the while, mindful of my brake problems. Got off on I-270 (no traffic in my direction!) and located the contractor complex in Rockville pretty easily. Early enough (0830) that I had a chance to eat breakfast with Lee in their cafeteria. Met my customer before we went into the series of scheduled meetings. Most of what we talked about was so new that I barely could follow, but there was one glimmer of hope in the process: an audit of the contractor's safety processes! That was very familiar and I tightly grasped the life-ring that had been tossed my way, gradually making my way into a comfort zone as the day progressed. We took a lunch break and ate at a place called Taipei Tokyo (good). Learned more about my customer (Jim). When we returned to the meetings we shifted to a whole new process of problem report reviews. LOTs of new acronyms - but some helpful folks kept me up to speed. We continued meetings until around 1600, when everyone else headed home. Another former Navy veteran (Bill) was kind enough to stay with me for a short while longer so we could go over a few of the processes discussed today (I'm going to need to do a TON of reading to get up to speed for the position - but it is all interesting stuff). Called Pat and told her I was ready to get together for dinner. She lives very close to where I was and I was there in about 10 minutes. Pat, Michael and I and chatted for about an hour - it had been a few years since we were able to get together (see APR 2007). Eventually, Pat drove us over to Fuddruckers for dinner (good). Lots of good conversation all night - I actually didn't leave Rockville until around 2200. Back at Bob's, got organized for my first real day of commuting - bed after that...

Chantilly, VA (USA)

Tough to wake up early (0600), but didn't want to be late! Found out that getting on the Fairfax County Parkway was actually really easy from Bob's - took it all the way back to I-66 (not much traffic). Discovered a few radio stations, including "Federal Radio"... Only traffic I encountered was at the VA-28 and I-66 intersection - but still was about 45 minutes early for my new job orientation in Chantilly. Had a great breakfast at a place called Eggspectation - a high-end place with unique egg-related food (very good, actually). Orientation started nearby around 0845 - a great experience. Not only was I excited about getting into something new, but it has been over 20 years since I was true civilian and this was totally different than a new squadron indoctrination brief. Met some nice people, including Phil, who will be working at the same office as me. Finished the introductions around 1215 and then explored "The Campus" of the HQ. Lunch at the cafeteria there. Heard more about the chaos at the company who hired me in June (but never got me started over the Summer...). Glad I've joined this firm! Phil and I split up and headed into the city - he went via Orange Line and I drove back to Huntington to try the commute from there. It wasn't too difficult (just traffic on the way there and then a train that sat at the station for about 10 minutes for some reason...). Got off at L'Enfant Plaza and found my bearings OK - I'm so close to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum I've been visiting for years (at least THAT is familiar). Found Lee waiting for me at the School Street Office - got introduced around the building and set up with my cubicle and computer... Spent a few hours there before departing for home (1700). One of my new co-workers, Sabrina, showed me how to use another Metro Station entrance and find my platform (she uses the Yellow Line, too). When I got to the Huntington Station again, I followed the masses and realized that nothing in the parking garage looked familiar. I walked nearly every level in the place before I realized there were three different garages and several ways to get in/out of the Station. This the first time in as long as I can remember where I was truly worried I'd be unable to find my car! Eventually, I found it in the last place I looked - at the bottom of the complex near Huntington Avenue (I hope I don't make THAT mistake again!). Limped home to Bob's place and had leftovers for dinner. Watched some football (good game, actually) before heading to bed (tired...).

Falls Church, VA (USA)

Woke up later than I wanted... Had lots to do today - familiarization with the local area, navigation of the Metro and a late party at my friend, Kim's. Found my way back to South Van Dorn and then located the station (parking is free on weekends!). When I went in to get a SmartTrip card that Lee had told me about, the machine was out of order. The "helpful" folks who worked there told me to go to another station to buy one. On the way out of the parking lot I noticed that they only take SmartTrip cards to exit (would have been stuck on a weekday!). Drove back towards I-495, looking for car repair shops as I went (no luck, most closed on Sunday...). Backtracked to the Franconia-Springfield station I saw yesterday. On the way, I found a CVS and was able to buy a card (thanks, Lee!). At the Metro station, I saw lots of Redskins fans heading over to the game (in Maryland). Successfully charged up my SmartTrip card. Decided next to look for the Huntington Metro stop, since it appears to be the easiest one for me to use (short trip to work on the Yellow Line). Ended up missing Huntington Avenue and found myself on Eisenhower East (nice) - found a Metro station, though, and a statue of Ike. In my attempts to get back across the Interstate I found myself in a lane that crossed the Potomac (oops). Turned around near Tim & Elizabeth's (National Harbor) and located the Huntington Station - looks like a good place to use. On the way back to Bob's, I drove around in some pretty old neighborhoods in the Belle Haven area. Did some unpacking and organizing and then took a two hour nap. Woke up refreshed and then headed over to Kim's party (scheduled for around 1900). It seems to get dark early around here, but maybe it is because everything seems unfamiliar anyway. Got lost a few times on the way (I-66 and then Westmoreland). Thank God for my iPhone "Maps" app... Still made it on time. Kim and I knew each other at Notre Dame but have only seen each other a few times during the last 20 years. It was a great visit - almost like no time had passed in between... Met her fiance, David, and her son, Jeremy. I also got to talk to some folks who brought their kids (about the age of my own) - about schools and standards. Sounds like a big adjustment for our family - not just Texas to Virginia, but Northern Virginia. Stayed for several hours before heading home. Jazzed up for my new job!

Moving Trip (Part 1) - Day 4

Boy, was it cold this morning (window scraper, need one!)... Had a good breakfast at the hotel before getting back on the road (around 0730L). I like the Tri-Cities area - need to explore some more, I think... Made it out to I-81 and continued into Virginia. Stopped to get a new Virginia road map at the welcome center (wobbly wheel getting worse - brake job required). Gas a few miles later. Made good time to I-66 (accompanied by racing RV!). Headed towards Washington (very pretty scenery - wish we could live out that way...) with little traffic. As I approached the I-495 merge, traffic backed up considerably. Fortunately, I had planned to stop in Chantilly to find the headquarters of my new company, so I was able to get off on US-50 and miss the worst of the jam... Another gas fillup and some suspect directions from MapQuest later, I located it near the Westone Plaza (right off VA-28). Relieved to get there (and for having a car that successfully limped into Virginia without needing a tow-truck), I relaxed for a few hours at Moe's (late lunch) and then listening to the football games on the radio. Because of the traffic, I looked for a way around - and found one: Fairfax County Parkway. It turned out to be a good route - I'll use it tomorrow. Drove through Franconia area and then located Bob's apartment in Kingstowne. Turns out that I'd been very close to his place several times over the years - just didn't realize how close he lived to the bars, movie theatres and restaurants where I've gotten together with him... Speaking of Bob - he was on his way home from Hawaii and had some trouble with flights and the Metro. I spent some time wandering around in the Kingstowne Town Center (VERY busy) and eventually met up with him at the apartment (1900). He brought pizza (mmm...) and we watched some TV for a few hours. It's great to here (finally)!

Moving Trip (Part 1) - Day 3

Woke up early (0700L) and had breakfast in the hotel. Lee called to talk to me about Monday - Chris also called. I was able to be sitting in the parking lot of the James K. Polk House just after they opened, allowing me to take a personalized tour of the only remaining resident of the former President. I've always admired the man, since he was one of the only men who ever occupied the Oval Office who kept his campaign promises. The weather was very pleasant and I made the best of it in the gardens around the home. After finishing my visit, I drove west - back to the Natchez Trace to finish the last 30 miles. Turned out to be less of a pleasant ride than yesterday (very windy roads and more local traffic). Still, I finished the whole road (it only took 18 years!). Made my way over to I-40 and drove east for several hours before I had to stop again. Drove right through Nashville and actually made it around Knoxville without being too affected by their rush-hour (lucky dog!). Saw some snow on in a few mountain passes along the way. My goal was to be able to stop in Greenville, Tennessee, at the home of President Andrew Johnson - but I had to get gas as I exited the Interstate onto US-11E. I also had to contend with a time-zone change that happened along the way. Still, I arrived at the National Park Visitor Center just as they were closing (1700L) and the Ranger let me explore some of the exhibits before he closed. The place has an interesting display of Johnson's tailor shop (log cabin), along with several other buildings from the era when he lived in town. For a President who was impeached, you would never know anyone held animosity against him - the town seems to be proud of their native son. I was getting hungry by this time but had one more place I wanted to see before it was too dark - the birthplace of Davy Crockett. Using US-11E, I managed to find it. But it required some risk-taking: the sun sets fast in the Tennessee Mountains... Luckily, there were some good signs for the State Park - but I paid close attention to the landmarks so I'd be able to get back out of the rural area (farm roads) where it was located. When I arrived, it was already too dark to see any of the historical re-creations of the cabin or other relics from Crockett's era - definitely a place to visit again someday. Back on US-11E (after dodging deer and stonewalls), drove North toward Johnson City. Before I got there, I spotted a hole-in-the-wall place to eat dinner: "Pickles" (All you can eat Catfish!). Had some great conversation with the owners and ate my fill before leaving. Got through town and then used I-26 to drive up to Kingsport, where my reward night hotel was. Turned out that it was across the street from a hotel we've previously used (see MAR 2000). As I lay my head down tonight I realized I have always enjoyed my trips though Tennessee - friendly people, pretty views. It feels like home to me. But, after today, it is time to get serious and get to work (....).

Moving Trip (Part 1) - Day 2

I got up around 0700L and ate breakfast in the hotel. During the meal I learned more about last night's commotion: two cocaine dealers (!) were in the room next to mine but didn't have the sense to stay inside. Instead, they ventured out and got into their car just as a policeman happened to do a search of the hotel parking lot. They were, apparently, acting suspiciously - so he searched them, their car and the room. Of course, they were then removed... No more disturbances after that - helped me sleep, anyway. Back on I-20 and got some gas near the Louisiana-Mississippi border - crossed the Mississippi River (first time in Vicksburg in quite awhile) around 1000L. Got off the Interstate west of Jackson and got on the Natchez Trace Parkway. I've always wanted to drive the remaining part of this historic trail - just saw a few short sections in 1993, 1994 and 2000. After getting information at a small visitor's center, I headed out on the road. The best thing about the Parkway is that there are no traffic lights, stop signs or major areas of population - and the speed limit is 50 mph. After I cleared the Jackson city limits, there was almost NO traffic for the rest of the day. I stopped a few times (Indian mounds, other historic landmarks from the 1800-1840 era) but could have driven all day with the cruise control on without ever applying the brakes (that's good, since I need new rotors...). One bad thing, though, is that there are no signs for fuel services on the entire 400+ mile parkway... It didn't matter for most of the day as I had entered with a full tank and I got great mileage (nearly 500 miles in one tank!) but it came back to bite me eventually... Found a section with odd tree damage - looked like a forest fire without the burning (trees chopped off at the top). A hand-made sign along the road identified the culprit: the Spring 2011 Tornado - wow!!! I encountered lots of deer in that area and saw some unfortunate folks' homes surrounded by tree debris on all sides. Saw lots of familiar names - the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indian tribes lived in this area before behing expelled to Oklahoma. Listened to the radio all day. One of my goals had been to stop at the Meriwether Lewis memorial (about 2/3 of the way to Nashville) and I made it there about 30 minutes before they closed. It wasn't much - although they are improving the facilities there - but it had a grave marker for one of the prominent explorers from the 1804 expedition. I feel like I've come full circle this year - with all the places I encountered Lewis and Clark, this was a fitting end. I had hoped to find some gas near that site, but still hadn't found any. Decided not to chance it and got off the Trace Parkway at US-412. Despite some disorientation on the outskirts of Columbia, Tennessee, I managed to locate a gas station. At the same time, I discovered that this was the town where President James K. Polk had lived most of his life. Decided then that this was as good a place as ever to spend the night. Made a reward night reservation on my iPhone (how handy!) and then drove over towards the hotel. Made another mistake, though, because I wasn't in the correct lane and ended up headed out of town again on US-31 (Nashville Highway) before I could turn on the Saturn Parkway and find I-65. Fortunately, my hotel was at the next exit. Checked in and then drove over to eat at nearby Stan's Restaurant. It reminded me of a Cracker Barrel (which was funny, since one of those was across the street) but they had something different: outstanding Tennessee BBQ! I enjoyed my dinner a lot (after snacks all day) and headed to my room satisfied. Spent the rest of the night planning the following day - I want to get the most out of this last chance to "dawdle" on the way to a new job...

Moving Trip (Part 1) - Day 1

The day has finally come! I need to start my new job by next Monday (confirmation letter came yesterday), so I finished up my packing this morning. After the kids got home from school, I spent some quality time with them - including a big dinner that Nicky made (fondue!). Waited until rush hour was over (1900L) before heading out of town - wanted to clear Dallas and (hopefully) Shreveport before morning. Used I-35W to I-20 and then headed out of the city. Traffic was OK out to Mesquite but really improved after that. I realized tonight that I haven't driven on this highway in almost 10 years... Made really good time to the Texas border - and realized (to my relief) that my repair of the cooling valve had been successful. Drove through the busy Shreveport area and then began to look for a hotel. Finally found one in Minden, Louisiana (Exacta Inn) and settled in for the night around 2300L. I was almost asleep when a comotion began outside - several police cars (including K9 unit). Eventually, a tow truck removed the car parked right next to mine in the parking lot (!!!!) but I guess the whole thing didn't involve me... Finally fell asleep around 0100L.

Dallas, TX (USA)

I'd been hearing good things about the Dallas County Public Library for the whole time we've lived in the area but had never visited. With just a week to go before I have to move (new job), I decided to go over there today. Couldn't convince any of the kids to get up earlier than 1000, so I went by myself. It was raining - good day for a library visit... When I got into town I figured out I would have a problem getting near the library to park - there was some sort of big event (turned out to be the annual Christmas parade). It was REALLY hard to get from where I parked across the parade route - but I eventually did. One nice thing was that the library was nearly deserted with everyone elsewhere distracted... I took advantage of the time and used a new microfilm scanner machine - got lots of good stuff on my thumb-drive for future review. I didn't get as much time as I would have liked (they close at 1700), but still am glad I visited. Hope to have another chance before the family is completely moved. Drive home was OK (rainy and getting dark)...

Thanksgiving Trip - Day 6

Sad day - we had to go home... Breakfast with Shannon, Sean, Mary and Leo and then went over to Bonnie's one last time. Hoping to see everyone again soon - but may have to wait until next year's Thanksgiving at National Harbor (MD). Left her house around 1000L and made some good time back to Snyder (saw coyote along the road) - not windy. Things going great until we tried to stop for lunch at (2 different) Skeeter's (reputedly have good fish tacos) and found out they aren't open on Sunday. Tried a few other places for food but eventually had to settle for Wendy's (near Abilene). Everyone got full and then back on the Interstate. Great time until we got to the major construction zone (east of Ranger) - used the frontage road for almost 20 miles (HUGE backup). Just missed a big speed trap. As we drove through Weatherford, the back-up going west looked horrible. Made it into Fort Worth by 1800L - just as the sun finally went down (Mollie said "look at the sky!"). I'm going to miss those long, pretty sun-sets... Unpacked and got everyone ready for bed (it may take a few days to get back to normal time-zones). Great trip!

Thanksgiving Trip - Day 5

Had breakfast around 0900L this morning and then headed over to say a few more farewells. Soon after (1130L), went with the kids to watch the movie "The Muppets." It was pretty good, actually - even Katie loved it. Came out of the theatre to an unbelievable wind - nearly knocked the kids down and it was creating a huge dust cloud. Arrived back at Bonnie's around 1400L and started to watch some more football. Kathy took Mollie out for a special time at the nail salon. Visiting and relaxing until 1715L - then over to St. Helena's for Mass. First Sunday in Advent, along with the long-forecasted change to the Missal (very difficult to get used to!). Finished up around 1835L (cold outside!). Drove directly to Kelly's for a party. Lots of people there - only knew a few. Her Australian Sheep Dog (puppy) was a big hit! Watched Notre Dame lose, unfortunately (again). Very enjoyable time. We stayed until 2200L and then called it a night. Shannon had a sleepover with Mollie but they didn't stay up too late... We leave tomorrow.

Thanksgiving Trip - Day 4

Didn't get up early this morning - despite Bonnie's offer of a French Toast breakfast. Nicky dropped the girls off at 0800L (they wanted to go play with their cousins - wish we could get them up that easily most days!). We joined them at 1000L and the fun began! I watched football with the guys until a bowling party left at 1400L - then it was just me and Chuck. We saw some good games and even watched a bit of Forrest Gump before everyone came back. It was amazing to watch all the different meal choices that everyone made - turkey "dagwoods", tacos, hot dogs, stuffing/mashed potato bowls (etc.). Football continued into the evening, as did the great conversation and socializing. I'm pretty sure that no one would have thought about leaving, but there were folks traveling in the morning and the party wound down around 2200L. It was sad to have to say "good-bye" to some of the family, since we know it may be a year until we can visit again. We took our leave around the same time, thinking that Bonnie was tired [found out later, she stayed up a lot longer - too bad we missed that!]. Kids finding it hard to get sleep with only one more day to go!

Thanksgiving Trip - Day 3

Turkey Day! A new tradition began this year: a Turkey Trot (run, job, walk, crawl) at the Ocotillo Golf Course! It was Elizabeth's idea - and she made T-Shirts. Most of us grumbled about the start time (0900L) and distance (2 miles) - but everyone tried their best to run after the master of ceremonies (Tim) hinted that it was a whole new way of building family comraderie. He wasn't wrong - after the kids raced off to take the lead, everyone settled into their pace for the day. There was a "comfort station" at the mid-point - and Elizabeth was there to provide morale building cheers. Almost everyone was walking by the 1.5 mile point - but some of the boys made it back to the finish line in about 25 minutes. Brenna and Mollie finished in the top 10 (Erin was too busy "babysitting" Katie...) and Nicky arrived near the tail-end of the train - with an adult beverage in her hand (smiling). Videos are priceless (and useful for blackmail)... Had about two hours before the big meal, so we used that to get ready and watch some of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. At 1230, drove over to the Country Club for dinner. Saw a lot of friends and even more relatives. Family prayer is always special - led by a priest this time. Great food - so much to choose from. Servers kept wine glasses full (almost TOO full!). Awards ceremony for turkey trot - Elizabeth very proud. Back to our rooms to change into something a little more comfortable. I had a headache, so I took a nap for about an hour. Meanwhile, kids and Nicky went over to Phase II of the dinner - Bonnie didn't want us to go without leftovers, so she had made a whole Thanksgiving meal for snacking! Football games, calls to my sisters, movies and conversation until very late. Didn't get back to the room until around 2330L...

Thanksgiving Trip - Day 2

Mollie and I were up at 0700L (everyone else asleep) - went down to the great buffet breakfast. Nicky drove us over to Bonnie's at 0800L and we got to work - dishes, drinks, food set-up (etc.). Ended up taking Mollie with me to Albertsons to pick up items - always nice to have my shopping buddy! Back at Bonnie's around 1000L. Had some good food for lunch, and then lots of other folks started to show up - Tim and Elizabeth (and Katie!), Andy, Collin, Leo, Mary, Shannon and Sean, etc. Great conversation and free-flowing libations. Kids played outside with their cousins and had a lot of fun. John, Ann, Duncan and Declan arrived after dark - along with Chuck. Lots of hugs every time someone new showed up. Aircraft problems meant that we had to wait for Trish, Terry, Megan and Erin. However, by about 2200L, almost everyone was there - including a lot of Hobbs friends and relations. We were having a good time but Erin wasn't feeling well - so we went back to the hotel a little earlier (2230L) and got some much needed sleep - big day tomorrow!

Thanksgiving Trip - Day 1

The kids had school today - which was good, since Nicky wasn't ready to go yet. Actually, after our whirlwind travel over the last 72 hours, neither was I... It took some doing, but we actually had the car packed and made it over to the girls' school just as they were about to start a big school assembly - so we were able to beat the usual pick-up rush. Drove over to Carswell so I could pick up some medication - weird visiting the base as a retiree... On the road by 1615L - great to avoid the usual traffic jams on Wednesday! Made good time, even through construction zones, and stopped for gas in Sweetwater. Since we were eating food from the fridge (would have gone bad, otherwise), we didn't need to stop for dinner. It was a good thing, too - driving across the desert in the dark sure is different than the normal trip to Hobbs! Windmill farm looked cool at sunset... I made a few wrong turns (Snyder and La Mesa) but soon got back on track (US-180). Mollie and Nicky started talking about seeing a lot of shooting stars, so I stopped the car and turned off the lights - what a view! Reminded me of the Davis Mountain sky (see JUL 2009)... With the time change, we still drove into Hobbs around 2030L. Got started early with some nice visits (Bonnie, Kevin, Kathy). Kathy helped us get checked into our hotel (Fairfield) around 2200L. Got everyone to bed early to prep for late nights to come!

Miami, FL (USA)

This trip seemed so short. More traveling than watching the race (still worth it!). Up at 0600L today - finished packing, quick snack before driving to airport. LOTS of traffic on FL-826, but we made it to the car rental return with two hours to takeoff (gas fillup in fully Spanish speaking neighborhood). It took us over an hour from that point, with train, walk, security (etc.) to get inside the terminal - but we did have enough time to get some delicious pancakes for breakfast (at Sushi Maki Restaurant, of all places!). After finishing, got souvenirs - and then realized we were still a long way from our gate. Had to take another train to get there - and walked up right as they started to call our zone. It took awhile to get everyone on the plane (glad we had small carry-ons) and we left late - but they made it up on the way to DFW. We actually landed early and were on our way to the car before our scheduled arrival time (nice!). I was checking my messages and found out that the company I interviewed with last week had a job offer for me - great! Took care of some other issues (by phone) on the way to our house. Got home just in time to pick up the kids. Spent the rest of the day packing for our annual Thanksgiving trip. Busy, busy!

Homestead, FL (USA)

Race Day!!! This opportunity was really special: closest NASCAR championship series ever - with some trash talk from Tony Stewart and a track that normally doesn't see a drop of rain. I'll mention (for posterity) that Nicky had been needling me for a week to skip the race altogether to drive her to Key West - but the rain this morning dampened (pun intended) her resolve. I really think she wanted to watch part of the race but didn't want to be at the track all day long. In any case, she picked up some food for us (croissant sandwiches) from a quaint bistro nearby and we used the fancy (water-proof) backpacks the travel hosts gave us to bring supplies for the day. While we waited to leave for the track, we saw a lot of Miami Dolphin fans who were on the same kind of travel gig as us (except that they were going to the football game). Our bus (one of three) left from the parking lot at the hotel at around 1000L - the folks seated behind us were from St. Johns, Newfoundland (NASCAR fans!). The rain was bad enough this morning to dampen the mood - and cause me to think (more than once) that the race might be cancelled... Still, we had a police escort all the way to the Homestead-Miami Raceway (using carpool lanes, breakdown lanes - and the grass). I'm SO glad we didn't try to drive ourselves because the traffic jam was huge (some poor suckers were trying to use the Florida Turnpike to get to Key West - ooops!). We arrived at the bus parking area around 1100L - partly cloudy skies by then! There were already a lot of tailgaters there but not a lot of people inside the gates. Nicky and I explored for several hours - getting free samples of racer sponsored snacks, trying to get ourselves on TV (broadcast on Speed Channel), attempting to win (Nicky) free cars, trips to Daytona 500 (etc.). As a Ford owner for nearly 25 years, I was pleasantly surprised by all the fanfare they were making as the sponsors of the championship event. We saw Greg Biffle and Denny Hamlin drive by (three feet away) on golf carts, blending into the crowd very easily as they went to the podium to tout Ford F-150s. We ate some small meals (snacks, really, but Nicky had a Cuban sandwich) at different points before the race began, and tried to get as much out of the full day as we could: photo opportunities with the #14 car, musical entertainment by the Brass Brigade, Seal Team parachutes (etc.). I almost regretted that we hadn't bought a pit pass, but we later learned that the First Lady was in the Pit area all day and that paying customers had been denied access despite having a ticket [BTW, this was the reason for all the "boos" reported by ESPN in the following days]. We took our seats (great ones - 25th row on the front stretch, could see the whole track, only about 100 meters beyond the finish line) around 1430L - watched the driver intros, National Anthem and F-16 fly-by. All day long, Nicky had been commenting (rightly so) that certain things weren't done as well as they do them at Texas Motor Speedway, but our seats were SO much better - and we were among real fans who paid good money for the event. Race began on time (1500L) but we only made it through 14 laps before the rain began (it had been dry ALL day!). We got to watch both Tony Stewart's and Carl Edwards' car in the pit areas - right in front of us - and there was just as much excitement for that as for the race. The "Chase" has been so great this whole year - close and charged with energy every week. You could really feel it in the crowd and the cheers were so loud whenever Tony Stewart made a big (AKA crazy, aggressive, dangerous) move. Carl Edwards seemed to have it in the bag - he was leading the race and he just had to keep Stewart from winning. Stewart even fell to 40th place - twice - before storming back to get the lead (VERY LOUD in the stands). Things were really getting good - but then it started to POUR. We had to run for cover - but couldn't get any food at that time because (several) hundreds of thousands were hiding from the rain, too. Finally, the rain stopped - about an hour and a half later, we were back in our seats for the awesome last half of the race. The ONLY way Edwards could lose the championship was for Stewart to win and for him to be worse than second - but that is almost exactly what happened (#14 first, #99 second). It all came down to amazing passes, stellar fuel strategy and a lucky caution flag - the race was one for the ages. Tied in points, Stewart won the Championship with a tie-breaker. I'm so glad we were there - it was a once in a lifetime event! We stayed long enough to watch a little of the celebration, but it started to pour soon after the end of the race - we ran to our bus. We were actually supposed to leave at around 1900L but - with the rain delay - it was closer to 2100L when we departed. The police escort took us down swamp roads to cut off the traffic jam on the Turnpike - we passed Kyle Busch's and Denny Hamlin's trucks on the way and got on the highway in front of nearly everyone (did I mention I'm glad I didn't drive?!). "Home" at around 2215L. Wanted to go out to eat, but skipped it in favor or packing and getting some sleep for our early morning departure from the airport. What a day - thanks, Nicky!!!!

Miami, FL (USA)

It was already exciting enough to be able to attend a NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway, but Nicky's luck continued. She got a call a few days after that race - from the same radio station - where she was informed she had won an all-expenses paid trip to Miami for the last race of the season! Our family has never gotten ANYTHING like that before... We departed this morning from DFW - very early (!) - after some construction delays on the north side of the airport (when will I learn?!). Our flight (on American) took us through Tampa. Hadn't been there for awhile - views on arrival were tremendous. We had a two hour layover, so we had a nice lunch at Chili's in the airport (margarita included...). On our way around 1400L, very short flight to Miami. Things had sure changed since my last visit (see MAR 2007)! The rental car center had moved out pretty far from the terminal - in addition to the walk, we had to ride a train to get there. Problem with our rental reservation, but we got an upgrade (Dodge Avenger) and soon departed (1600L). There was even more construction on the way to our hotel - ended up using surface streets and got into the Cuban vibe... Our resort accomodations were in the town of Miami Lakes (northwest side of the city) - at Shula's Hotel and Golf Club! It was pretty fancy, nestled in a small shop/dine area of town. Our tour coordinator (from Premiere Sports Travel) met us in the lobby and gave us some cool souvenirs as we checked into our room. After seeing the place, I actually regretted getting a rental car - we could have walked around the property and eaten meals nearby... Still, we had our "muscle car" and Nicky had never been to Miami, so I drove her downtown around 1700L. It was just getting dark, so the skyline was pretty. I tried to take her to Miami Beach (and/or South Beach), but the traffic jam on this Saturday night was horrendous. After realizing how hard it would be to get there, Nicky begrudgingly allowed me to drive her to pretty Key Biscayne - a place I'd explored before. We looked for a bit for a good Cuban restaurant, but didn't find a good one out there. Instead, we settled for a seafood meal with a view of the city on the Causeway - at the Rickenbacker Fish Company. They had recently built an outdoor Tiki Bar, and we had a great time in the pleasant weather. Our meal included a few appetizers (buffalo shrimp, locally smoked wahoo) and a shared entree of pistachio crusted Mahi. Nicky tried an interesting drink called the Golden Coconut. Topped off the evening with a great piece of Key Lime Pie. We were there for a few hours before we headed back to our room. With the time change, it didn't seem too late - but we knew we'd need our sleep. Bed early...

Texas Motor Speedway (TX)

Had an unexpected opportunity today: Nicky won two tickets to a NASCAR race! Actually, she won two tickets to three races from a local radio station. She took Erin and Brenna to the truck race (Friday) and Nationwide Series (Saturday). Today, she left early in the morning so she could go to a concert by Trace Adkins at the Speedway (also part of the package!). I headed up to the track later - and as I drove up (1350L), I got to see an awesome fly-by of a B-52 at the end of the National Anthem. I made it to our seats at 1400L - just as the announcer said "Gentlemen, start your engines!" Wow! The view was tremendous - just at the start of Turn 1. After the race began, I realized I had forgotten my earplugs (yikes!). The race went on for about 100 laps before there was a caution - and my ears grew accustomed to the constant, ear-splitting noise. But it was all worth it! I was reminded of the aircraft carrier flight deck as they raced - a deep tone, very loud, vibrating your whole body. I was glad I've watched enough races to know who all the drivers were and how they were performing. We saw a couple of wrecks (minor) but the race went very quickly. The noise, wind generated by the cars, debris from the track, fan-watching (etc.) was priceless. I walked out to my car with around 25 laps to go and ended up spending the rest of the race trying to get my car started (dead battery) - fortunately, another fan helped me. Drove home as it was getting dark - fireworks accompanying Tony Stewart's win. I probably would never have gone to a race without Nicky winning the tickets - but I'm glad she did!

Decatur, TX (USA)

The job search has been very time consuming - and has limited travel opportunities. Today, however, I decided to take care of some business I've put off for a while (registering important documents with the State of Texas). I called up to the Wise County offices (since I've been getting help from them a lot, lately) and they told me it wouldn't be a problem. Mollie and I left Fort Worth around 1445 and used US-287 to get to the center of old Decatur. On the way, I realized my watch was still set on Mountain Time (I haven't worn it since then!). We watched the Thunderbirds (flight demonstration team) practicing near the Alliance Airport - that was cool. As we approached our destination, we got a great glimpse of the courthouse - one of those impressive buildings that dominates the treeless prairie for miles in every direction. We passed the petrified wood gas station as we went into town (1530). Found the County Clerk's building and spent some time with the nice ladies there. They took good care of me and my important paperwork - permanent record, safe and secure for all eternity! We also watched the ranchers coming in to file their brands in the County records. One of the ladies showed us the books and all the creative cattle markings from ranches nearby. We explored the square for a little bit - it was actually a busy (!) - before driving west to intercept US-287 again. That part of town is much newer and busier. Shopping for important supplies at Walmart, ice cream at Brahms (mmm...). On the way home we stopped at the Fresh Produce Market, a little place on Walnut Street. The family that runs it was very friendly and made buying their local fruits, vegetables and beef (most of it was from Muenster Meat Company - see APR 2010). We stocked up (!) and then drove home. Back at our house at 1730.

Montana Trip - Day 20

[slept OK, although the nearly hourly trains that blow their horns outside the window made it hard - if I could, I'd send a blank post card to my friend Red in Shawshank Prison, to let him know I'd made it... - spent the morning on emails and finances - it is time to start a new job search, I guess (headed back to Fort Worth) - drove down to the US-Mexican border this morning (0845L) - crossing not busy: thought about going across - dead "downtown" - drove up to the next town and then got back on I-10 - drove to Van Horn (McDonalds for lunch) - raining almost all day - time change (finally back in Central...) - changed to I-20 - gas in Pecos - more rain - continued east - stopped in Eastland, Texas, for gas and a Dairy Queen Blizzard - no longer raining (too bad for north Texas...) - made good time: back in Fort Worth around 1930L - drove over to watch the girls playing volleyball at St. Georges (near downtown) - back at our house around 2200L]

Montana Trip - Day 19

[finally figured out what time zone I'm in (Pacific) - so, ended up waking up at 0600L - my car cleaned off my big storm last night - had breakfast in the lobby and chatted with the owner - he bought a deserted motel last year and is renovating it room by room (who said the American Dream is dead ?) - on the road by 0730L - east on I-40 to Sanders - got gas - continued south on US-191 - lots of evidence of the rain: mud across the road, water actually flowing through (the usually dry) washes - through St. John's and into Springerville (pleasant little towns) - mailed post cards - lots of volcanic rock - cool (I'm still at high altitude!) - east on US-60 - long constuction delays near AZ-NM border - time change (again!) - drove (sprinkles and muddy truck water...) until I saw signs for Pie Town - decided to stop to see what the hubub was about (1230L) - while I was eating their famous "New Mexico Apple Pie" (with green chilies and [pine nuts], the lady behind the counter told me how ladies in the vicinity used to make been pies and dried apple pies for the ranchers (before there was a highway there) - the place only has 35 residents and got its start with the little pie shops (1920s/1930s) - I just missed the annual festival - continued east until I found the Very Large Array (VLA), just east of Datil - I'd been wanting to see this place for years, especially after the visit to Greenbank in West Virginia (see AUG 2007) - it was a lot different than I expected - to start, there are 27 radio telescopes - they can be arranged in several configurations, so depending on the camera angle, it looks like there are many more - when I drove up, I only saw a few (turns out, they are spread out over miles and miles of the area) - nice little visitor center (very informative) - ominous weather in the distance, but still took a self guided tour (walk) of the grounds - got very close to one of the units (big!) - saw the "High Plains Lifter" (train that moves the telescopes into position) - drove east towards Socorro (rain all the way) - on I-25 and drove to the south (windy!!!) - got away from the rain - decided to stop at the El Camino Real State Museum (exit 115) - had to drive through back country to get to it (it was, luckily, open on Wednesdays) - very interesting displays, told of the history of the trail from Mexico to New Mexico in the Seventeenth Century - it was an International Heritage Center, after all, so it had a definite slant against the Mexican War - still, it was worth the stop - could see some of the trail in the distance - drove back towards the interstate and figured out I'd need to drive a good distance to get back on it - used NM-1 through canyons and valleys until I could re-enter I-25 (1700L) - drove south for a while - got gas in Hatch - had been researching the location of Spaceport America - no signs about it AT ALL (despite reports that it was finished) - I read you would need to go to Truth or Consequences and ride a tram to the site - screw that! I got off at exit 32 (there was actually a sign there, saying "Home of Spaceport America") and started off on a dirt road that followed El Camino Real (two birds with one stone!) - very remote - sun setting / double rainbow - after about 15 miles off the pavement, I made it to a hiking trail area - climbed to the top of a ridge and could see... NOTHING... - I think I needed to go about 20 more miles on the increasingly poor road - by now, the sun was setting - so, I'll have to come back... - drive back to the highway took a good bit - on I-25 when it was completely dark - south to Las Cruces - got dinner at Arbys (to go) - after entering Texas (wow, it has been a while!), drove through crazy-driver-land (El Paso) until I was in the desert - speed limits picked up to 80 (!!) - made it to Fort Hancock (and a motel) at 2145L - it was good to stop...]

Montana Trip - Day 18

[my neighbors woke me up at 0630, which was OK - out of my room and back on the highway before 0715L - changed to US-491 in "downtown" Monticello - hardly any traffic (kids waiting for bus...) - made it to Cortez, Colorado, around 0830L and (after switching to US-160) to Mesa Verde visitor center by 0900L - needed a coat! - got some help to determine the tours I should take - in the end, decided to go on the Cliff Palace tour (1000) and the Balcony House tour (1200) - picked up some lunch (to go) at the [Red Mesa] Cafeteria across the street and then drove down to where the cliff houses were - arrived just as my tour was beginning - very informative with spectacular views - got to walk in front of and on top of one of the houses (some areas closed because of structural damage) - stories about the Kiva and history of the Ancestral Puebloans (got a little mystical) - had to climb up a wooden ladder at the end - finished with the tour in just over an hour - stopped a few times on the way to the next tour (hoping to get on the 1130 - didn't happen) - ate lunch outside in the pleasant weather - waited with an increasingly large group until a ranger appeared and told us they missed the 1130 and would have to combine that group with 1200 - pretty large group... - good ranger, though, great stories and explanations (the 1130 ranger showed up halfway through, calling himself Ranger McTardy) - stone stairs down, tall wooden ladder to get up (...) - very pretty views from the balcony house - ranger told us to be quiet and it was REALLY quiet - wandered through several stages of the place, learning about construction, dendochronology, history of the cliff dwellers - to get out, we had to crawl through a narrow tunnel and climb up a rock face with little footholds (and chain-link railings) - NOT a tour for the faint of heart... - the tour lasted just over an hour - stopped several more times in that area and saw even more interesting places (most would never be seen by white people for over 600 years after they were last occupied: hard to spot in dead-end canyons) - drove over to the nearby Mesa and found a whole different stage of the culture: pit-homes - learned about the agriculture of these people - finished up at the Museum (VERY crowded) but didn't go in - visited post office and chatted with the clerk - drove out of the park without stopping and backtracked to Cortez - followed US-160 all the way into the Navajo Reservation and then to the Four Corners site - I'd been wanting to visit the place since my room mate went there in 1991 - it had been newly remodeled - put my foot on the "X" that marked the intersection of borders (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona) - walked around the square, reading about the history of the borders (and ongoing disputes about precise location) - vendors from the Navajo Nation (and Ute Nation) were selling wares all around the square - chatted with one of them (stories about tribal resentments, conflicts, land development ideas, religion, etc. - very interesting) - backtracked to CO-41 and drove north - desert very barren - into Utah again (and UT-162) - gas in little Indian village of Aneth - then drove on county roads towards Hovenweep National Monument (about 20 mile "detour") - open range really a factor (starting to see horses, too!) - interesting visitor center (volunteer couldn't have been much older than Erin & Brenna!) - walked on the park trail for a bit, photographing the interesting stone towers and other ruins (different than cliff dwellings because of the exposed nature of the buildings) - drove a short distance into Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (and Colorado again), but it was clear I was losing the daylight - drove back to a semi-good road and turned west - saw Indian jogging with his three dogs (one a wolf-mix) - more stock in the roads - barren, rocky, sandy terrain (with lots of canyons) - eventually on [UT-262] and then US-191 - followed that to US-163 - views became increasingly breath-taking - passed Valley of the Gods (wow!) but didn't drive on the dirt road to get closer - instead, drove towards the sunset towards Monument Valley - near Mexican Hat, saw balanced flat rock (looked like it was teetering) - terrain and photo-opportunities probably unparalleled (even on this trip!) after that - I've seen these images in movies ("The Searchers" and "Forrest Gump") but nothing compares to watching the sun hit the red rocks as it "goes to bed" (as Forrest would say) - took tons of photos, but none adequately captured what I saw... - into Arizona - eventually came to town of Kayenta - probably the first busy place since Cortez - I saw signs for an Indian road to drive out to Monument Valley, but the sun was down by that point - got dinner at Burger King (1930? time zone change ?) and kept driving: this time, east on US-160 - seeing the beautiful sights was worth it, but the drive I had to do to get to a hotel turned out to be unbelievable - after I turned south on US-191 (again), started to pick up radio stations from Los Angeles, Dallas and Oklahoma City (!) - big storms in the south (lightning)... - only found one place all night that had hotels: Chinle, near Canyon De Chelly National Monument - I would have liked to stay, but there was only one room available at the three hotels in town (and it definitely was NOT worth the asking price) - so, continued south again, bound for I-40 - drove through my first real rain storm of the trip - wasn't too bad - most gas stations closed and no hotels at all (Navajos must not want people staying on their land overnight...) - finally, at Chambers, Arizona, found a pleasant motel "Chieftain" (very inexpensive) run by nice people - settled into bed late (still don't know what time-zone I'm in...).]

Montana Trip - Day 17

[got an earlier start today - breakfast in the hotel and on the road by 0900L - US-6 through country defined by treeless mesas, stunning cliffs - made it to Price pretty quickly - got off the road, planning to visit a museum there, but it ended up being too far off the highway - the weather was too nice to be inside anyway! - continued south to I-70 and drove east until intercepting US-191 - needed gas, so stopped at the first place I'd seen for miles - price per gallon turned out to be $0.70 more than I've seen for most of the trip! - capitalism at it's finest, I guess (luckily, most service stations haven't been gouging me that bad...) - didn't fill up: just got enough for a tour of the National Parks and to get me to the next station - south towards Moab - got off on UT-313 and drove up to the Island in the Sky, part of Canyonlands National Park - pretty red stone all along the way - stopped at visitor center (around 1200L) and got some good tips for scenery and hikes (plus souvenirs) - TONS of people in the park (a theme all day) - drove all the way to the end of the road, which provided spectacular views of the Green River Canyon (on one side) and the Colorado River Canyon (on the other) - I was very impressed (I think better than Grand Canyon!) - hiked to Upheaval Dome (0.8 miles each way) and then drove over to another trail to see Mesa Arch (0.5 miles each way) - weather was pretty pleasant for hiking (fortunately) - after several hours there, drove back to US-191 and south into Moab - got gas and then a late lunch at Wendy's - drove back (north) to Arches National Park - skipped visitors center - stopped (and hiked) at the many different formations: Balancing Rock, the Windows (about 0.5 miles up and back), Double Arch (about 0.5 miles up and backm, steep climb to get "inside") - continued north into the park until I arrived at the trailhead for the Delicate Arch (famous landmark of the park) - didn't have enough time to hike the three mile trail to the arch itself, so settled for the half mile trail to the top of the nearest ridge (called a "fin" of sandstone) - felt good after all the walking today (better than being in the car all day yesterday) - drove back down (literally) toward the visitor center - stopped at Park Avenue formation before departing - souvenirs and some local info from the rangers - drove through Moab (kind of busy!) - mailed postcards - would have liked to stay the night, but wanted to visit Mesa Verde tomorrow - drove south on US-191 - began to sprinkle a little (enough to make the driving more difficult when the sun went down) - it became evident that I'd probably not be able to make it to Cortez, Colorado, so I began looking for motels in Monticello (pretty pricey at first - eventually found one) - dinner at PJ's Diner in town - talked to cook and her son, who was doing his homework in one of the booths - he told me about how his school football team has to travel great distances to play (including a NINE hour trip to northern Utah, a series that happens every year!) - back in room, watched some football and news - relaxed - bed around 2300L.]

Montana Trip - Day 16

[somber anniversary... - got a very late start today (finances...) - didn't leave hotel until 1030L - drove across the Snake River (one of several crossings today) on I-84 and made it to Caldwell, Idaho, before I had to get gas - back on the road and drove through Boise without stopping (needed to get back into Utah by tonight) - passed Mountain Home (neither a Mountain or a place I'd like to call home) - following Snake River - got off highway at [Bliss] and started down old US-30 (called the 1000 Fountain Byway here) - after a nice ride down into the river valley, arrived in Hagerman and visited the Fossil Beds National Monument - Ranger was very helpful, pointing out other places to visit nearby and giving me some trail maps - I ended up missing a turn she recommended, but I'm glad I did: as a result, I saw the 1000 fountains! They look like waterfalls - on the opposite site of the Snake - falling from the high cliff walls - there were resorts along the river nearby - lunch at McDonalds in nearby [Buhl] - followed US-30 into Twin Falls (a mistake, it turned out, since I had to stop at nearly every light as I drove through the middle of town just to backtrack to the next place I wanted to visit: Minidoka Internment Camp) - the National [Monument] was in a very remote area off [ID-25] - interesting history and sobering reality - followed [ID-25] east and south, back "towards" Twin Falls, hoping to get around the city to head south - was successful, using [ID-50] - great canyon views when crossing the Snake east of town - sneaked around by the airport and then got US-93 - had a lot more traffic than I've seen for several days - very remote, desert-like environment - lots of BLM signs, indicating recreation areas - long, boring drive, actually - but straight with good speeds! - came around a corner into Nevada (and Pacific Time Zone again) and stumbled across Jackpot (a casino town in the middle of nowhere...) - picked up some snacks and mailed some post cards - back on the road soon after - listening to football games on the radio - rest of drive to Wells was uneventful (except for the pleasant rain showers) - got on I-80 and tracked west - realized soon after leaving Wells that there were NO gas stations to be had until the NV-UT border (and I really needed some fuel!) - hoped there would be some gas in Oasis (shouldn't there be?), but only a rest area - raining a bit more in the mountains - sweating for a bit (idling on big hills, slowed down, did everything I could to make it) - got lucky again and made it to [West Wendover] and a gas station - crossed border into Utah and got off the Interstate again, this time to visit the Bonneville Salt Flats - drove all the way out onto the flats on a paved road but found out they had just closed the raceway access before I arrived (1800L) - turned out to be a good thing, though, since I saw the amazing amount of salt that built up on the cars that had been out there all day... - saw a couple taking wedding photos on the flats - learned a little amout the speed testing (it is in season now - too bad I can't stay around...) - back on I-80 and into the desert (salt storms and high winds - beautiful sunset behind me! - long, desolate spaces for 70+ miles - getting dark - made it back to the exit I'd turned around at almost exactly a week ago - into Salt Lake City, switched to I-215 and then I-15 (towards Provo) - LOTs of construction - swerving lanes, closed lanes, speeding trucks, poorly lit signs - figured I was a goner a few times... - finally arrived at Spanish Fork and found a hotel (Western Inn) on US-6 (brings me back to the Cape...) - emails and repacking until 2330L, then bed - most amount of driving in one day since I started the trip - not as fun...]

Montana Trip - Day 15

[got a later start than I wanted (0945) - figured that my stop last night short of Boise gave me a second opportunity to visit Oregon, so I followed US-95 south - came out of the canyon for the first time (in what seemed like forever!) at [New Meadow] and then continued westerly (vice straight shot south) - got gas in Council and then switched to [ID-71] and drove back into Hells Canyon - road much better - found two reservoirs on the Snake River (first was Brownlee Dam) - crossed river at second Dam (Oxbow) and found myself in Oregon - weather was nice - got lunch at the [Hells Canyon Inn] (good sandwich) - Pacific Time Zone again - turned onto a remote Forest Service Road towards the heart of the National Recreation Area - very scenic, very remote, trees & mountains, speed limit less than 40, free range stock on roads - stopped at a scenic overlook of the west side of the Canyon - great view, but I'll admit that I'm getting a little tired of the type of roads required to get around in this area (by that point, I'd been driving for almost four hours and I was almost due west of Riggins: probably only 40 miles as the crow flies!) - passed the time with radio updates of the college football games - the Nez Perce Trail went straight across the canyon, but I had to go miles to the south and then north again to meet up with it again! - by the time I arrived in the little town of Joseph, I was pleased to see flat land again - drove south towards Lake [Wallala ?] and found the grave site of Chief Joseph's father (Old Joseph) - it sat on a bluff overlooking the beautiful lake - back into town and walked around for a bit (pleasant) - got some ice cream at [Gobbler's Nob] - back on the road - switched to ID-82 and used it all the way to La Grande (and I-84) - motored south for awhile (nice to be able to travel faster!) until I got to Baker City - got off on a road that was headed back into Hells Canyon (it was actually [ID-26], the same road I'd used when I was in Halfway earlier in the day - but the other end) - stopped at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center (run by Bureau of Land Management) - very classy and informative place (well done!) - saw actual wagon tracks for the Oregon Trail (and, realized then that I was seeing the same view that pioneers saw when they reached Oregon for the first time) - drove back towards the interstate - listening to NASCAR race - went through Baker City (very nice) - it began to be clear that the area was expecting a large number of returning Guardsmen (I saw "Welcome Home" signs between Baker City and the state line, and news reported everyone being excited) - with the Blue Mountains on my right and the last glimpses of the mountains of Hells Canyon on my left, drove south on I-84 until I reached the Ontario, Oregon (right on the border) - as I drove into the area, I could smell the pungent aroma of onions (later confirmed by the locals) and saw the big Ore-Ida Plant (makes sense now, doesn't it?) - found a hotel and then walked to nearby [Paoli's ?] Pizza - watched Notre Dame blow their lead on Michigan - back in my room, caught up on sports and took care of emails - bed around 2345L.]

Montana Trip - Day 14

[up around 0800 - had breakfast in the hotel - drove into Missoula (0830) - this place is the setting for the book "A River Runs Through It." - saw sign for [Elk Preserve] - took a little bit of time to locate it - took a nice tour and short nature walk - on US-93 south through town - drove all the way to Lolo through pretty Bitteroot Valley - visited Traveler's Rest State Park (interesting talk with Blackfoot who worked there) - walked to site of Lewis & Clark's camp - looking at map, saw that there would probably be no services for several miles - so filled up gas tank in Lolo - drove up US-12 to Lolo Pass (met Forest Service person from Texas) and into Idaho (and Pacific Time Zone!) - VERY remote after that - miles and miles of [Seyle-Bitteroot] Wilderness - following Clearwater River (it really was Clear!) - several short stops for nature walks (grove of cedar trees, Nez Perce / Nimiipuu displays) - all trails on the other side of river (had to cross wooden suspension bridges) - when I was in Sixth Grade, our teacher showed us a movie about Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce, and his famous quote "I will fight no more forever" - I had always wanted to learn more about his people - with that in mind, followed US-12 to Kamiah so I could visit one of the Nez Perce Park stops (Heart of the Monster: creation story w/coyote) - backtracked to ID-13 and used it to find US-95 - stopped at Mammoth site (Tolo Lake) and then found White Bird Pass and Nez Perce War battlefield site - saw a sign for Hell's Canyon (I thought I had to be in Oregon to visit it - I guess not...) - followed gravel road over mountain to get to Pittsfield Landing on the Snake River (whew! didn't think I would make it!) - saw lots of wildlife and scenic views of the Hells Canyon - VERY remote - much hotter than I've felt for days for some reason - drive back was an hour again (to town of White Bird) - on US-95 again, entered Salmon River Canyon - even more scenic - sandy beaches, steep cliffs on both sides - getting dark (with sun behind the mountains) - smells like smoke everywhere - it had become clear earlier today that I wouldn't be able to cross into Oregon (much less, Washington), but now it was clear I wouldn't even be able to make it to Boise, so I stopped at Riggins - it is a pleasant little town - first place for cell service all day - ended up staying at Salmon River Motel - ate dinner at nearby [Summerfield's] - talked with Nicky on the phone for a long time tonight - bed late...]

Montana Trip - Day 13

[up around 0800 this morning - didn't have to do much this morning to leave - on the road by 0830 - good drive on AB-5 (nice mountain views) - entered Waterton Lakes park around 0930L - beautiful views of Prince of Wales Hotel and pretty lake - stopped at visitor center and encountered a crotchety Quebecois ranger (no help) - another visitor told me to go up to Cameron Lake - with gas tank nearly empty, still figured I could make it - drive was relaxing (far fewer visitors in the park!) - views of the Lake were tremendous - southern end was nearly a rock face that went straight up (Montana border) - decided to walk the Akamina Pass trail - it went uphill all the way to the British Columbia border - encountered a ladies hiking group and a woman who popped out of the bushes as I neared the top - very pleasant - reached border (and Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park boundary) - decided to turn around (thought I had gone 1.5 miles up but forgot they measured in kilometers... - no wonder it went so fast!) - back down the hill to the car - stopped at the site of the first oil well in western Canada - drove into the little town of Waterton (VERY pretty!) - got gas (pricy) at the only station - they recommended I eat at Trappers, across the street - I sat outside there and had to eat breakfast (they don't serve lunch until 1200L) - ate buffalo meat, eggs and spuds (skillet) with toast - afterwards, ate some Saskatoon berry pie (mmmmmm!!!) - bought some souvenirs - walked around town, along the pretty lake - great views of historic hotel - I actually did not want to leave - weather was great, town wasn't busy - still, needed to get going - drove towards exit, stopping at Prince of Wales Hotel on the way out - also drove up to Red Rock Canyon (interesting river views - small, different layers of red) - left park and got on AB-6 to the border (great view of Chief Mountain) - glad I didn't come this way last night because they close the gate at 1800! - got quizzed a lot (and searched) - drove down MT-17 and back to US-89 - mail in Babb - got on Going to the Sun Road at St. Mary (stopped at visitor center) - glassy lake surface (St. Mary) with amazing reflection - stopped several times for photos (Jackson Glacier), but wanted to make sure I got across the pass before the major road construction impacted my goal to reach Missoula - as I got to Logan Pass, had to wait about 20 minutes for road work - one of the ladies there told me that the road had only just opened in mid July - and that the road and visitor center had been damaged during the long winter - a HUGE line had formed, so after we got escorted to the Pass, I decided not to stop there - but, after getting going again, I got immediately delayed for another 20 minutes just below - saw herd of elk very close to the road - with the huge line of cars and the significant construction, the drive was severely affected (scenery and enjoyment wise) - after I made it through the Loop, let cars pass me - made just a few stops on the way down - best view was Lake McDonald (glacial lake) - break at Apgar (souvenir) - drove out of park on US-2, down to where it intercepted US-93 - first cell signal in nearly two full days - drove through [Kilispell] and on to Flathead Reservation - got dinner at Burger King (ate in car) - road meandered along beautiful Flathead Lake - mountains of the "Crown of the Continent" in background... - would have stopped if it was earlier: St. Ignatius Church (Father De Smet) and National Buffalo Herd - made it to the edge of Missoula (I-90) around 1930 - didn't get on interstate, found hotel (Redwood at truck stop) - watched TV, emails, money (etc.) - bed around midnight.]

Montana Trip - Day 12

[slept straight through to 0815 (feeling more rested) - photos, journal, emails - didn't leave hotel until almost 0945... - used I-90 west until just past Three Forks - headwaters of Missouri River - construction (with signs that show where the money comes from!) - lots of wheat fields - back roads (US-287!) to East Helena - gas fillup and sack lunch (1230L) - got on I-15 and continued north - saw Montana State House as I drove through Helena - pretty scenery (canyon/gorge) for Missouri all the way to Great Falls - radio talking all day about how they have caught three bears in Yellowstone, tagged and released them pending DNA tests - got off in Ulm and visited the "First People's Bison Jump" park (interesting) - gravel roads and back roads back to I-15 - stopped at rest area for water (hmmm) - got off on MT-44 (Valier Highway) and drove near Lake Frances - mountain scenery (including small glaciers) - getting better and better! - intercepted US-89 - stopped to see a few Lewis & Clark monuments - entered Blackfoot Reservation - passing through Browning, used US-2 (west) to get to East Glacier - took MT-49 to entrance of Two Medicine area of Glacier National Park (1530L) - ranger lady at gate told me where I could find bears - saw one (small black bear) in the group campground area (eating berries on a hill - just a stones throw from my car and across a little creek) - chatted with another traveller - drove back to MT-49 and then got on US-89 - unfortunately, construction delays - cows in road - made it to St. Mary after a harrowing drive on really bad roads... - lots of traffic (mmmm...) - continued north until I reached Babb - took park road (12 miles) up to Many Glacier - had hoped to get a room there in order to get an early start on a hike to see glaciers in the morning, but they were full - restaurant was very busy, too (decided not to wait) - sensing urgency to find a room (they said all the park hotels were full), headed back down the mountain - no rooms in Babb - no rooms in any of the places north of town - came to fork in road (MT-17) and decided to take my chances in Canada - arrived at border around 1900L (they actually close the border at 2300L - and lock the gate!) - got "searched" (virtually ?) - watched other folks come to the border and ask about hotels - got released around 1930L and drove on to Cardston, Alberta - looked around town a little before getting a room at South Country Inn (2000L) - lady at desk recommended I get dinner at the nearby Cobblestone Manor - dinner OK (chicken with syrup flavor) - service a little overwhelmed with US visitors in town, I guess - manager gave me tips about visiting Waterton Lakes park - pointed out the Mormon temple nearby, all lit up (learned LDS founded Cardston in late 1800s) - found out it snowed here in September last year (better hurry, I guess!) - back to my room - found they only have 10 channels (but, luckily, wi-fi)... - TV and emails - then bed.]

Montana Trip - Day 11

[up at 0800 - packed and left hotel around 0830 - stopped at post office and got gas nearby (prices wildly fluctuate) - would definitely return to Jackson! - drove north on US-[89] - first view of Grand Tetons [National Park] (SPECTACULAR!) - stopped at visitor center - drove around on some of the (one-way) scenic roads (deer), walked down to Jenny Lake - great panorama (a little hazy) - drove up Signal Mountain (Massachusetts people) - lunch at Signal Mountain Lodge (corned beef) - made it into Yellowstone National Park around 1330 - stopped at waterfall near south entrance - drove through park on way to Old Faithful (my only planned stop) - saw something on the map about a place called Lone Star [Guyser] - stopped there (close to Old Faithful) - met some folks who said it goes off every three hours and that I missed it - decided to walk up there anyway - was about a 2.5 mile (40-45 minutes) hike up an old road - pleasant (sprinkling) - squirrel - got to geyser (nothing happening) - luckily, there was a book there with notes about previous eruptions - timing was almost perfect! - started to bubble and splash around 1500L - it lasted about 30 minutes with a big finale! - walk was well worth it - walked back with some other hikers (from Sante Fe) - passed the time with good conversation (walk took about an hour) - drove down to Old Faithful - got more water - that time meant I almost missed the Old Faithful eruption - as it was, saw the last few minutes - got ice cream in hotel - souvenirs - walked over to visitor center and got some tips on what to see before leaving the park - backtracked to "Thumb" and drove along the river / canyon - mud volcano - lots of wildlife (and cars) - many people with binoculars, telephoto lenses - buffalo, elk, one moose! - beautiful [Hiram ?] valley... - evidence of closed trails (where the tourist recently got mauled by a bear ?) - made it to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone before sunset - saw falls (Artist Point) - drove a little farther and found Brink of the Falls - getting dark - realized I would still be in the park after sunset (not what I wanted...) - drove back west on Norris Canyon Road and then north (on US-89) to Mammoth - pretty remanents of sunset - steam vents everywhere across the valley - red/pink sky - stuck behind a trailer for awhile, but then got past him - smooth sailing after that - dark, curvy road at north entrance (not as relaxing as south entrance...) - through Gardiner, Montana - continued north on US-89 (52 miles) to Livingston, Montana (good speeds all the way - no wildlife, luckily) - found a place to stay (Livingston Inn Motel) near I-90 (2130L) - later, I drove back to a place I'd noticed as I entered town (Rosa's Pizza) - good dinner (pizza and salad) and conversation with one of the cooks - back to room - some TV - tired! - bed at 2300L.]

Montana Trip - Day 10

[woke up around 0700L - wanted to sleep longer, but got started anyway - packed up and checked out of my room - on the road by 0845L - got on I-15 and drove north, not really knowing which direction I would go (had emailed a work friend to see if he would be in Boise, but I didn't get his reply until late in the day) - there were some clouds to the west, so I continued on I-15 at the I-84 split - stopped at the Idaho vistor's center (Malad) - got gas (and Subway, lunch) in Pocatello - left interstate at Blackfoot (US-26) - intersected with US-20 and drove towards Arco - on the way (crossing Idaho Nuclear Laboratory - INL), saw signs for EBR-I - wondered what it was - then realized that it was the site of the first nuclear power plant - stopped to take a tour of the site (very interesting - described use of NaK, "Nack" - an alternative coolant) - chatted with the tour guides for a bit, learned that the Navy Nuclear Power training site (nearby) was discontinued - they test the nuclear batteries for space missions here, too - back on US-20/26 and made a wrong turn at Arco (bad signage...) - quickly realized error (I was on I-93...), though - back into Arco and drove southwest until I reached the Craters of the Moon National Monument - toured visitor center (light rain coming down) - drove though park, walking on several trails: [first lava field], Devil's Orchard (preachy displays by National Park Foundation), [Infierno Cone] - the whole place was a combination of Sunset Crater and Valley of Fire - last walk was on a trail that took me to caves - went inside one (Dewdrop Cave) - talked with another hiker on the way back (almost exactly same itinerary...) - saw NAS JRB car in parking lot (small world) - backtracked to US-20/US-26 split - took road to Idaho Falls - more traffic - dinner at Arbys - then drove through town (crossing Snake River again) - followed river on US-26 and US-89 - multiple stops along the way (reservoir, etc.) - saw sheep, signs for bear (warnings!) - drizzle, but not bad - great views of mountains as I came into Jackson Hole - got a hotel (Rawhide) - family called - walked around in town (unique shops) - best "ski town" I've visited on the trip! - had a drink (Snake River Lager) at Town Square Tavern - another drink (Snake River Heffeveisan) and paltry bruschetta at Silver Bullet Bar, sitting outside (on street) - weather very pleasant - picked up souvenirs - back in room, watched TV, took care of some bills and emails - bed just after midnight...]

Montana Trip - Day 9

[awake early (0530), but managed to get some more sleep before finally getting out of bed at 0815L - got on the road as soon as I could after that - drove north on I-15 all the way to UT-83 - realized after I passed Corinne that there wasn't going to be any fuel for a very long time (thank goodness I had enough...) - found Golden Spike National Historic Site - very interesting: just as I arrived they were demoing old locomotive procedures - trains parked where the golden spike was driven on May 10, 1869 - watched movie, toured museum - would have continued across the desert on the old railroad bed (to see the Bonneville Salt Flats), but didn't have enough gas... - drove back to UT-83 - stopped at ATK site (old Thiokol) to see "rocket garden" - back on UT-83 and took it as far as West Faust Valley Road (W 11200 N), then east towards Tremonton - got on I-84 and drove south, intercepting I-15 - got gas at Brigham City and then had lunch at Hunan Village (mmm...) - still undecided about what to do next (tired, wanted to go back to room to relax - but can do that any time...) - took US-89 south, stopping to mail a post-card - got on I-15 and drove to Salt Lake City - got off a little north town and followed railroad tracks into town (ended up back on 600N Street) - drove east up "capitol hill" - pretty - stopped for a short time at Brigham Young Heritage Park - then drove around the campus of University of Utah - turned onto Emigration Canyon Road (Burrs Lane) - found "This is the Place Heritage Park" - nice views of the city and, clearly, a nice place to walk around with the kids (and learn more about pioneer life) - didn't stay too long - instead, continued into the Wasatch Mountains through Emigration Canyon - turned south at UT-65 and got on I-80 (east) - exited at UT-224 and drove up to Park City - found free parking - walked around for over an hour, enjoying the unique stores and the Park Silly Sunday Market - wanted some ice cream, but things were closing up quickly - on the way back down the mountain, visited the site of some of the 2002 Olympic Games events - got back on I-80 (west) around 1830L - decided to check out the Great Salt Lake - using I-80, found a few good places to view it (beaches, building from movie, etc.) - there is clearly more water in the lake than when my Atlas was produced... - turned around at [exit 88] (photographed salt flats along highway) - found exit for the Great Salt Lake State Park (it was just closing, 1900L) - still able to drive along the edge for a while - got back on I-80, used I-215, Legacy Parkway and US-89 to get back to UT-193 - drove back to Hill AFB - drove down Hill Field Road until I found a little Greek restaurant - had a nice kebab, rice, salad, potatoes and gyro meat and a great conversation with the cook (he said no one had been in all evening) - interesting kid (from Hillsboro!) - finished dinner just as he was closing (2100L) - back to room - laundry, photos, journal, expenses until late (0100)...]

Montana Trip - Day 8

[woke up around 0715 - still feeling tired - spent morning on finances, emails, etc. - organized for final day at Library - left around 0945 - drove back to Salt Lake City (I-15) - free parking today (behind Church History Museum) - research (Ireland records) from 1030 to 1330 - went to lunch at JB's again (club sandwich) - back to work, it was harder to concentrate and keep going (three days in a row at the library tired me out!) - didn't leave until around 1945L - put my genealogy stuff in the car (24 pages of notes) and then spent about an hour walking around Temple Square and the immediate environs - it was very pleasant - lots of families out walking (dressed up) - quiet gardens, flowing water, pretty lights - realized I'd missed a few other tours and a quaint restaurant in the Lion House (next to Beehive House) - explored and read lots of historical markers - stumbled across the old Hotel Utah, now converted to a Joseph Smith Memorial - went to 10th floor and ate dinner at The Garden Restaurant - view of the Temple from my table (from above!) - good food (wedge salad, fettuccine pasta (with chicken) - nice old hotel - walked back to my car after that (2115L) and headed back to Layton - dragging, but feeling pretty satisfied with what I found this week at the Library - got to bed around 2330L.]

Montana Trip - Day 7

[up at 0630 - had to go by the ID place again (0715) to correct problem (no line, quick) - big breakfast at Burger King - drove downtown - easier and quicker to get to parking - got a ride from hotel bellman to nearby post office - bought post card stamps (Pandora starts) - walked back to Temple Square (several blocks) - beautiful day - in Library by 0900L - spent some of the morning on the 2nd floor (more US microfilms - air conditioning (!) - around 1100, went down to B2 (UK & Ireland) and went through all the books I could stand - worked straight through lunch - found lots of things from UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand - then got Irish films - near end of afternoon, back to 2nd floor for more US films I'd missed - walked next door for dinner around 1730L (JB's again, salad & soup) - saw a man almost get run over by the UTA (train) and heard the engineer scolding him on a loudspeaker ("you're old enough to know better!") - called Nicky & kids - finished up the day on the 3rd floor (US books), CDs - beginning around 2000, explored the library (places I hadn't been) - genealogies of the Mormons - was going to walk across to Temple Square again but, instead, took a tour of the LDS Museum next door - friendly people again - lots of interesting displays (life mask of Joseph Smith, portraits and displays of the Presidents of the Church) - ended up getting a personal tour of a gentleman who told me the special revelations of each man - talked about statehood, beehive meaning, abandonment of polygamy (jokes about multiple wives not being able to get along, one wife good enough anyway! - he himself had been married for 55 years) - afterward, walked back to car (cold!) - noticed large pigeons on top of train station (to ward off real ones ?) - drove back to VQ - getting easier - watched some TV and went to bed earlier (2300L).]

Montana Trip - Day 6

[woke up very early (0600L), and not on purpose... - got things organized for trip - first stop (0715) was at the ID card office (first day retired) - went pretty quickly - had to send Nicky some paperwork - tried post office (closed) and then headed towards Salt Lake City (I-15) - found a FEDEX (expensive) - made it into town (used 600N Street exit - road names not very imaginative...) around 0915 - took some time to locate a good parking garage (at the Plaza Hotel - $8 for whole day) - walked a short distance to the Family History Library - What a place! - I've heard about it for years, but being there was something special - building was five stories: US books (3), US films (2), family histories (M), Europe and Latin America (B1), UK & Ireland (B2) - dozens of computers on each floor - scores of film readers - row after row of research materials - as it was my first day, I spent a few hours looking through the books on the third floor - Nicky called with an "emergency" - had to stop research and make several calls - eventually got things straightened out - had lunch at a hot dog cart (ate in a pretty park) - back to the library - powered through third floor - down to second floor (microfilms) - continued research until around 1700 - went out to make some calls - had dinner at nearby diner (JB's): turkey stacker (pickle!) - back to library - researching on second floor again - before finishing for the day, checked out B1 and B2 - around 2000, decided to wrap things up - met a gentleman (from Texas) who told me about how we could watch the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing - first went into Temple Square but found some people who said we needed to walk (south) to the Conference Center - it was a big building - lots of people "escorting" us around - sat and watched the performance for a bit (choir clapped for visitors, conductor talked to us) - left around 2100L and walked around a bit in Temple Square - pretty by night - post cards - drove home via I-15 & Hill Field Road - organized - emails - bed around 2355L.]

Montana Trip - Day 5

[up at 0630L - last day in the Navy... - made calls to ensure I can take care of retirement paperwork on the 1st (A-O-K) - left Vernal and drove north on US-191 - stopped for a hike (1.5 miles each way) at [Red Fleet] State Park - wasn't too hot when I started - only took one bottle of water - sand, rocks, tough trail to navigate - found dinosaur tracks at the end of the trail, on the edge of a reservoir - lots of tracks, actually (a trail for several groups of various sizes) - it was tougher walking back to my car (hotter, drank all my water) - Thank God for the dinosaur footprints painted on the rocks, or I would have gotten lost! - as I left the trail, noticed there was a guide book and trail log (I should know to look for that by now...) - back on the road, drove through changing terrain - signs told what was along the road (bones, coal, oil, gems, etc.) - trees, plateaus, cliffs (all stunning) - made it to Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area around 1130L - at fork in the road (US-191 and UT-44), drove towards Dutch John - got (some) gas (expensive!) and then ate lunch at the Flaming Gorge Lodge (Green River Jumbalaya) - drove back to UT-44 and stopped at the Gorge visitor center [at Red Canyon] - pleasant weather, great views - stopped for a few more photos and continued into Wyoming - used WY-414 all the way to Mountain View - turned onto Business I-80 and stopped at Fort Bridger - visited the State Historic Park (people setting up for Jim Bridger Days) - nice lady at the museum told me about Mormon Trail (etc.) - talked to some other interesting folks - got a root beer float next door before getting back in the car - drove a short distance to I-80 (weird to be on an interstate again...) - very windy - gas just before leaving Wyoming (Evanston) - nice scenery: big hills and canyons - called Katie to wish her a happy birthday - turned on to I-84 (nothing like the I-84 I've used in the East!) - just before junction of I-84 and I-15 (south of Ogden), got off interstate and used US-89 and UT-193 to get to Hill Air Force Base [Layton, UT] - located lodging and got my stuff to the room - ate dinner at the Food Court (Taco Bell $5 box) - back at room - laundry and unpacking - then I discovered my digital camera in the laundry as I switched it in the dryer (!) - disassembled it and hoped for the best - was getting so much done (more prep for visit to the Family History Library in the morning), didn't notice what time it was - bed around 0100L (took longer to fall asleep)...]

Montana Trip - Day 4

[up around 0645 (saw part of sunrise over mountains) - drove down to the Great Sand Dunes (0750) - had to walk five football fields to get to first hill - cold sand - animal tracks - hills and valleys - following others but finally settled for 475' dune - at top, HUGE valley below - too far to cross - getting hotter - headed back down hill (high school field trip ?) - on way out of the park, saw herd of elk along road - took pictures and waited behind an RV (State Trooper...) - drove back to hotel to shower and change - (1000) decided to take a chance and drive across the valley to visit the source of the Rio Grande - used county and farm roads (gravel) after dropping off mail in Mosca - made it to US-160 without much trouble - paralleling Rio Grande all the way - stopped at South Fork and learned you need a 4X4 to drive up to the source (reservoir) - got other info about the state (very helpful) - drove back to Del Norte and got Subway for lunch - then on CO-112 to US-285 - could see the sand dunes the whole time I was in the San Luis Valley - figured out I probablly lost two hours - scenic drive through a canyon all the way to Salida - drove through town - drove north again, paralleling Arkansas River (pretty) - rain off/on - changed to US-24 - gas in Buena Vista ["Bunah Vista"] - turned onto CO-82 to drive across the Independence Pass - scenic! - twin lakes, snow on mountains, creeks along road - some speedy BMWs several times (in a hurry) - passed Mount Elbert (highest point in CO) - crossed continental divide (12093 feet) - drive down was OK (not as scenic) - saw lots of bikers - road narrowed to only one car width a few times! - drove into Aspen and explored in a car - finally had to park - walked around in the scenic downtown - very high end people and shopping establishments - got ice cream - filled bottles up with Aspen (tap) water - recycling (etc.) - after about an hour, got back to car and explored neighborhoods around the town (lots of Sotheby signs) - on my way down to I-70 via CO-82 - weird HOV lanes, lots of stop lights, TONS of traffic, gas costs $0.50 more than everywhere else (I was not happy) - made it to the interstate and made good time to Rifle (crossed [Colorado River]) - used CO-13 all the way to Meeker (VERY remote, but still some traffic) - then CO-64 to Dinosaur - unbelievably remote!! - no cars for nearly 50 miles - driving through White River Valley - pretty - rain and lightning in the distance - swithed to US-40 - snacks at Dinosaur - mesas everywhere - drove into Utah around 1930, sun peeking out of clouds - "Yampa Plateau" - checked on lodging as I entered Vernal - found a cheep place (Weston Lamplighter Motel) - caught up on email and prepped a little for genealogy research in Salt Lake City - some TV - bed around 2300L.]

Montana Trip - Day 3

[restless sleep - up early and saw wonderful view of stars and (later), sunrise... - should have taken a shower again, but didn't and then the owner turned off the water to work on his well - (0800) back to Volcano - bought park pass - drove to top and then hiked around the rim (1.0 miles) - echo - elevation (8,200 feet) getting to me, but I made it - beautiful views - back on the road (west on US-64/87) to Raton (looking for an oil change place - no luck) - instead, used I-25 south to US-64 and then headed over to the Enchanted Circle - passed NRA site - arrived in Cimmaron around 1045 - found a place for an oil change - meanwhile, walked to post office - back to pick up my car, nice chat with workers - lunch at Heck's Hungry Traveler (Heck-of-a-Burger with chopped green chili) - back on the road - drove through Cimmaron Canyon - rock faces (Palisades Sill), cool running water (very pleasant), deer along road - came to Eagle Nest and chatted with (Texan) welcome center owner - he suggested I drive north on Enchanted Circle to see Red River and Questa - it was a good choice (nice mountain communities) - had some rain (wipers...) - arrived in Taos from the north - got gas - couldn't get into town (traffic jam) - attempted to visit Taos Pueblo (closed) - finally gave up and left town on US-64 - stopped at Taos Gorge (Rio Grande River) - vendors and bridge repair - walked across for photos - drove across and stopped at a rest area for a bit (more photos, hiking) - US-64 all the way to US-285 (biotechture) - then north into Colorado - awesome views of Taos Plateau and mountains - stopped for a bit in Antonito (railroad National Monument) - continued north to Alamosa - help from lady at visitor center - drove out on CO-17 to Mosca and then [CO-6] to Great Sand Dune National Park - visitor center (German lady working there, speaking with tourists) - on their recommendation, headed back to Zapata Falls - 3.6 mile drive on bumpy gravel road then 1/4 mile hike - stunning views of valley and dunes - (recommendation of other hikers) had to wade into water to be able to see the falls, but worth it! - on way back down saw spectacular view of valley (bison herd) - drove back towards dunes (tired), so stopped at the Oasis and found a room at their Lodge - had dinner at the little restaurant (just before they closed) - Navajo taco (mmmm) and beer - watched sunset (1930) - great conversation about town with High School Senior (school K-12 with 375 students, area population, farmers salting clouds, Rio Grande source, etc.) - back to lodge - went swimming in the pool - relaxing - bed around 2300.]

Montana Trip - Day 2

[left hotel around 0800 - beautiful (cool) morning - drove to nearby Washita Battlefield - toured the new visitors center (only one there) and watched movie - drove to Battlefield site and toured it with ranger and one other person - learned a lot about Oklahoma Indian Nations - more dry riverbeds... - finished around 1145 - then on my way west again - used back roads (OK-47) into Texas - then farmroads (some gravel) - located site of last scene of the movie "Cast Away" - drove on gravel farm roads back to TX-152 drove to Pampa and then on to Lake Meredith - Canadian River - drove around the lake (north) and located the dam - lake almost empty - found a few day use sites but missed the visitor center (south side) - got back to US-__ and then filled up with gas in Dumas (same place as 2010?) - used US-78 all the way to Capulin, New Mexico (good road, but I missed the chance to use a four lane...) - ominous clouds in the distance... - terrain finally changed to rolling (green!) hills - temps also much cooler (nice!) - arrived at Capulin Volcano (looks like Vesuvious) at 1720 (too late to go up) - checked in town (population 49) for lodging and found a cabin - drove back to Des Moines to have dinner (Mexican - green chili) at Sierra Grande (the big, Etna like volcano behind the restaurant) - drove around Volcano (Folsom - destroyed in the early 20th century by flash flood - location of archaeology discovery of spears in mammoth bones) and back to camp ground - lighting and thunder all evening (scared horses) - worked maps and internet to plan route - bed around 2130L (!)]

Montana Trip - Day 1

[found out this week I wouldn't be able to start my new job until (at least) the middle of September - I'll play along for a bit, but I had to get away from the 40 C weather... - left the house around 1400L - drove on US-287 to Vernon, TX - crossed Red River on US-283 - Altus (pretty sizeable, actually) - gas at AFB - explored nearby - continued north on US-283 (saw "mountains") all the way to Sayre - explored down-town - later looked for Sayre-Doxey cemetery - located it near interstate 40 and found Coogan stones - got on I-40 (west) and began to look for a hotel - realized there wouldn't be any until the Texas border, so doubled back to Hixta - asked for rate in Sayre (WAY too much) - saw BECKHAM VORTAC ? - prairie dogs along roadside - drove on to Cheyenne and stayed in the aptly-named Motel there.]

Sulphur, OK (USA)

Mollie and I had to take care of some unfinished business today - her Junior Ranger badge at Chickasaw National Recreation Area. Last time (see MAR 2011) we left the house too late in the day to turn in the paperwork for that cool program. Today we got going around 1215 and had a nice drive up to Davis - just a little bit of traffic. It has been SO hot lately, we wore our bathing suits to be able to take advantage of the water in the Travertine Creek at the park. Stopped for some info at the OK visitors center (nice people...). After arriving in Sulphur (1400), we went straight to the Nature Center and finished the last activity in Mollie's workbook. The Ranger gave her a pin and a patch this time - and had her say a unique pledge. Immediately after that, we headed over to Little Niagara and found lots of people enjoying the cool water below the Falls (which were actually nearly dried up!). What a difference a drought and several summer months makes (we should have gone swimming last time...)! Still we had a good time - Mollie jumped the four feet off the top of the Falls into the water below. We also explored down the creek a bit - but there was very little water anywhere else. After about an hour, we walked back to the Nature Center and waded around in some shallow water there - watching some people catching crawfish (lots of them!). I wanted to show Mollie Lake Arbuckle - that was our next destination. On the way, we went swimming in Veteran's Lake (nearby) and watched people jumping off a 30 foot cliff into the water. It was much cooler water - and not muddy, like the Little Niagara pond was. Packed up again and drove back into Sulphur. We got gas in town and then headed down to the Point Area (see FEB 2011). I took Mollie down a gravel road where I had seen lots of deer in the Spring, but we didn't see any... We spotted lots of miniature horses, though. Took a look at Lake Arbuckle - swimmers, boaters, breezy cookout area... Mollie said she was tired of swimming, so we drove back to the Interstate (1730). We'd seen some signs for a place called the Blue Pig (BBQ) in Ardmore - decided to have dinner there. It wasn't a long drive - and we got off the exit right where the billboard said. But, after driving all the way into town, we never saw it. Back to I-35, still not seeing it, I decided to turn around and eat somewhere else. As I was making a U-turn, we spotted a little trailer with picnic tables outside - and a truck with a Blue Pig on the side. That was it! Now, call me crazy, but good BBQ isn't worth sitting outside for dinner with 40+ Celsius temperatures... Instead, had dinner at the nearby Prairie Kitchen restaurant. We enjoyed some good conversation (actually, we have all day - very nice) and good food. Finished up around 1900 and got back on the Interstate... As we crossed the Arbuckle Mountains, I realized how different the sun's position was from our last visit - I hadn't realized how many months had passed since we got to visit Oklahoma. No chance to watch the sunset this time - at least in the mountains... Stopped at Rumpy's again - our favorite German Bakery - picked up a dozen tasty kolaches for the family. Spoke with the lady who worked there about the community pool that was nearby (first saw it in December) - she said it was only open for special events. It was a nice chat. On the road again soon after (changed out of our bathing suits). In previous trips to the area north of Denton, we'd seen a drag strip (North Star Racetrack) - and that they had races on the weekend. It took some trouble (frontage road roullette between Sanger and Denton, side roads, railroad tracks and road closures) but we found the place just as the sun went down. Paid $10 to get in to watch the show - well worth it. Races were nearly continuous - traditional drag racers and custom cars, some looked like street racers. It was very loud but exciting. Mollie enjoyed it, actually. We walked around the track and in the pit area - commenting on the painted cars and talking with some of the drivers. Stayed for about an hour and a half before heading home. Arrived around 2200 - tired but re-charged...