Nomad Life - Day 338

Despite my late bedtime, I still woke up at around 0600.  It was still very dark, though, so didn't get out of bed.  As a result of this decision, I ended up sleeping until 0800!   While I mostly felt like I'd readjusted to the time-zone and daytime hours, I was also glad to "catch up" on some sleep.  Once I decided to get my day going, I read, did puzzles and Duolingo exercises in the guest room at my friends' (Rich V and Dana) home in South Jordan.  Next, I got ready and went upstairs to see my friends.  We'd briefly discussed my hope to attend church in the morning and I let them know I'd decided to go to Mass nearby.  This was fine with them so I departed their home in the Daybreak Community and drove south and west on the streets in the residential neighborhood.  Somehow, I ended up departing from the completed portion of the Daybreak neighborhood.  The contrast between the oasis-like "home" in the high desert was quite stark - everything to the immediate west was barren, with only the bare skeleton of streets designed for future growth.  Right on the edge of the buildings, I discovered the (new) Salt Lake Bees Ballfield - it was still hard to wrap my head around playing baseball in such a warm place, though...  As I continued driving, my attention turned from the Wasatch Range (east of Salt Lake City and visible from Rich and Dana's house) to the Oquirrh Range to the west.  The place where I was headed, Copperton (in the Brigham Canyon) was located just at the base of the mountains but, until I reached it, the terrain after that was completely flat and barren.  There were pronghorns nearly everywhere.  Along the way, I passed lots of huge buildings that appeared to be Amazon warehouses.  One of the larger mountains ahead of me appeared to have active mining going on inside of it.  I learned later that this was the Bingham Canyon Mine, which Google AI told me was "widely known as the Kennecott Copper Mine, one of the largest open-pit mines in the world; the pit is roughly 2.5 miles wide and over 0.75 miles deep, making it visible from space and to the naked eye from across the Salt Lake Valley."  When I arrived at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church (0925), I was surprised at the tiny size of the Parish - it looked more like a house.  I was just in time for 0930 Mass and I was reminded of the small (Summer only) church I'd attended in West Barnstable (MA).  Everything seemed to be made up on the fly, with roles like altar servers, readers and Eucharistic Ministers being filled in real time.  The priest seemed very flexible and approachable and the parishioners were very friendly.  Somehow, everyone made the cramped building seem very open.  What a good experience!  When the service was over (1020), I was tempted to stay for their social event but didn't want to leave my friends hanging back in the Daybreak Community.  A bit reluctantly, I departed Copperton and headed back to Daybreak.  As had happened to me on the way to church, I got stuck at some of the lights with no apparent logic for the delays.  On the one hand, the UT-85 roads seemed like freeways but there was something strange about how far apart they were.  (Rich later told me that these were actually frontage roads that had been built before the larger highways and that made sense).  I arrived back at Rich and Dana's home by 1045 and joined them in watching NFL Football on TV.  Hoping to get a head start on my upcoming Nomad Life, I spent a lot of time making hotel reservations so I'd be covered through October 14.  At 1200, I told my friends I was ready to get some lunch (they'd told me they would be ready when I was) and we departed their home, enroute to the famous Red Iguana Restaurant.  Actually, we visited the Daybreak Community version of the franchise and it was called "Taste of Red Iguana" (the main location is in Downtown Salt Lake City).  They had only opened in the spring and they offered a Brunch menu with lots of interesting options.  In the end, though, I decided to try one of their Mole dishes (which had been recommended to me by a colleague during my work trip this week).  The server was nice and brought me a "mole sampler plate" which had about 10 different styles of mole - I liked them all!  In the end, though, I got one with a Poblano flavor and ended up being something like a disassembled enchilada plate.  To wash it down, I drank lots of water and a cocktail called "El Chencho".  Everything (including the house tortilla chips, which were very light) tasted great!  With Rich and Dana planning to depart on trips (Dana to Northern California and Rich to Cheyenne), our conversation mostly focused on travel.  We wrapped up our meal by 1345 and spent a bit of time walking around near the Ballpark and, on the drive back to my friends' home, exploring more of the Daybreak neighborhood (we visited "The Island").  We were settled back in the living room again (more sports on TV) by 1430.  The meal had made me feel quite tired but I resisted the urge to nap at first.  Instead, I worked on eBird entries and tried to catchup on my travel blog.  Eventually, though, I succumbed to the fatigue and took a nap (1500 to 1630).  By the time I woke up, I felt very refreshed and was able to do some reading.  Perhaps more importantly, though, I finally stopped procrastinating and ordered the T-Shirts for our upcoming Thanksgiving celebration in Nashville.  With that monkey off my back, I joined Rich in watching more football and started a load of laundry.  At 1915, he suggested that we take a walk around in the neighborhood so I could experience the extensive trail network that connects the different areas of the Daybreak Community.  Along the way, we got to see some of the Halloween Decorations that were scattered around the area.  We ended up taking a tour around almost the entire edge of Oquirrh Lake - what a treat!  There were plenty of birds (lots and lots of Red-Winged Blackbirds and American Coots) resting in the water as the sun was setting.  When we passed a flag at someone's house that was related to the Mammoths NHL Hockey franchise, Rich told me a story about the team's recent arrival in Salt Lake City and how much everyone is glad to have world class sports nearby ("rather than Root for Vegas teams").  Perhaps the biggest feature of our tour, however, was the ubiquitous Halloween decorations we passed - they were far more extensive and wonderful than I could have ever imagined.  Rich explained that the local people absolutely LOVE Halloween and spent a ton of money on making their homes look better than everyone else's.  Along the way, we passed an amazing Harry Potter themed home and spent a lot of time finding all the hidden clues and unique decorations.  It took a while to get back to Rich's home but I really enjoyed the views of the mountains, the brightly lit Mormon churches and wonderful temperatures of the evening.  The people were friendly and, at one point, I mentioned to Rich that I was very impressed with all the extra parts of Salt Lake City I'd seen during this visit.  Someone overheard me and said, without any sarcasm, "Welcome Home!"  I really couldn't doubt the sentiment...  By the time we were finished walking (about 2.5 miles for the day), I was completely impressed with Daybreak.  At the house again (2045), we watched the tail end of the NFL game and did a little more visiting while both Rich and Dana packed their bags.  After I said goodnight to them (2200), I did spend a little more time watching movies in the guest room before heading to bed (2300).  It's been a wonderful visit to Salt Lake City this week!  Sadly, I was wound up again by the time I turned out the lights and sleep didn't come easily.  Hopefully, I won't pay for this when I depart on my own long drive in the morning...

Salt Lake City Work Trip - Day 6

Today was supposed to be my travel day after the successful completion of our project this week and I was looking foreword to the next phase of my Nomad Life.  Unlike what happened back in Minneapolis, though, I was given permission to defer the travel until Monday.  This gave me a chance to experience a bit more of Salt Lake City before I moved on to the next stop - score!  The day started early again (0615) but I didn't have to get online for work because it was Saturday.  Instead, I spent the early morning hours reading, doing Duolingo exercises and working on puzzles.  At 0745, I went to the Fitness Center of the Staybridge Suites (West Valley City) and worked out for 20 minutes on the stationary (recumbent) bike (4.3 miles).  Afterwards, I went to breakfast in the hotel lobby and filled up on the food they had there.  Back in my room again (0830), I worked on my travel blog, took care of some finances and continued resolving Thanksgiving stuff.  At 1100, I loaded up my car and checked out of the hotel.  Outside, it was another beautiful sunny day ( temps 74 F).  Hoping to get some birding for once (my eBird entries had been pretty sparse for most of the week), I drove over to nearby Decker Lake and took a walk on the trails there.  I ended up being very successful in my species search.  During this same timeframe, I also coordinated with my friend (Rich V) about my upcoming stay with him and his wife (Dana).  With a green light to make my way over to their house, I departed West Valley City (1130) and drove south (mostly via UT-154) to the town of South Jordan.  Right up until I got off the main road, I thought they might live in a "normal" suburban neighborhood.  I was not prepared, then, for what I found when I arrived at the entrance to the Daybreak Community.  Wow!  It was huge, with all kinds of small homes, large (waterfront) estates, walkups, condos and (I assume) apartments.  In various places in the huge neighborhood, there was also plenty of shopping, extensive walking trails and many more amenities than I could have imagined.  In fact, the Salt Lake Bees (minor league baseball team) had just built their new stadium on the fringes of the Community and the UTA (rain system I tried yesterday) had a stop right in the heart of the area.  It took a bit of time for me to locate the home where Rich and Dana lived because the house numbering didn't really make any sense to me - there were odd numbered addresses on both sides of these little side streets (where the garages were).  I learned later that the front door was only reachable from a walkway ("The Passeo") on the opposite side of the homes.  When I finally parked in Rich's driveway (1150), I was thoroughly impressed with what I'd seen.  Inside, I joined my friends in watching the second half of the Notre Dame v UNC football game.  It was great to be able to do so much reminiscing with Rich since the last time I'd seen him (back in January).  After the game ended (1630), we left the house and drove to a nearby restaurant (still in the Daybreak Community) called "The Break", where we had an early dinner.  I got a delicious sandwich and a large beer.  There was more time for conversation and catchup and we stayed at the restaurant until about 1800.  Back at Rich and Dana's home, we did some more visiting and watched more football.  Rich gave me the paper mail I'd forwarded to his house back when I was in Copper Creek State Park (WI) - I'm glad that plan worked!  Dana showed me several of her amazing photographs - she is an amateur wildlife photographer and had hung so many of her images of wild animals in every room.  Beautiful!  By 2000, I was feeling very tired but I managed to last for another hour before I said my goodnight.  In the guest room, I watched movies and worked on Duolingo exercises.  Sadly, all this stimulation kept me awake much longer than I'd planned - after getting carried away with the fun, I didn't go to bed until just after midnight.  Oh well...  Even so, it felt so nice not to be in a hotel bed and, instead, fall asleep in the warm, comforting and welcoming bedroom at my friends' home!

Salt Lake City Work Trip - Day 5

With the main project completed the day before, I now had a "normal" work day ahead of me when I woke up at 0445 (no alarm).  Since my original itinerary had expected me to be working during the day until close of business today, I decided not to drive back to the work site.  Instead, I started teleworking immediately.  At 0800, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Springhill Suites (West Valley City) and then returned my room.  For the rest of the morning, I worked steadily on my computer.  At around noon, I ate lunch (leftovers) in my room.  Otherwise, I continued teleworking until 1400 (end of work week).  By 1430, I was ready to do some exploring (for the first time since Tuesday morning).  I left the hotel and walked to Decker Lake Station to investigate the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) routes into Downtown Salt Lake City.  It turned out that the system was very user-friendly and I purchased an all day ticket for $5 before beginning my wait for a northbound train.  It was sunny and warm again and I decided to make the most of this beautiful weather.  About five minutes later, a UTA Green Line train arrived at the platform and we headed towards the airport, which was located on the far end of the line.  I briefly considered whether I should ride all the way there (or change lines to visit other parts of the city) - in the end, I decided to explore as far as the Downtown area.  We had a driver swap when we passed through the train yard but, otherwise, the train made steady progress to the east and then north.  I stayed onboard until we passed Temple Square; after that, I decided to get off at Arena Station (1515).  As I was walking away, I heard the train announcer mention that there was a "free fare zone" - I'll have to remember that for my next visit!  To the west of me, I saw a large, historic building with a large sign that said "Union Pacific" (the old train station).  Even closer, I found the Devereaux House (AKA Staines-Jennings Mansion) and ended up walking around nearby.  There were colleges and other businesses in the Triad Center but nothing looked accessible to a tourist.  Instead, I walked to the east and made my way into Temple Square.  During my previous visits to Salt Lake City (including the one earlier this year), I'd seen most of the monuments, statues and architecture before.  With the beautiful weather (pleasant temps and very sunny) today, though, there were some nice new images to add to my memories.  Eventually, I decided to look for a place to get a drink and stopped at a place called the Beerhive Pub (1555).  When I sat down initially, the bartender didn't seem to pay much attention to me.  In fact, it took another group coming and sitting at the bar with me before I got served.  After that, he was more than friendly and nice, setting me up with two good local beers.  There were some interesting signs and artwork inside the building and I enjoyed watching the businessmen hanging out after work.  When I finished with my "happy hour" break (1645), I walked south, hoping to find something else (food ?) of interest.  However, nothing ever captured my fancy.  When I arrived at the Salt Lake Station (at 600 West), I boarded a southbound UTA Green Line train (only had to wait about 10 minutes and was on my way by 1700).  My hearing wasn't the greatest during the ride but I think there was a grumpy lady (who was wearing a mask) sitting across from me and mumbling about how I was rude not to talk to her.  We'll never know, though, because I was looking out the window and she exited the train before I did.  I reached Decker Lake Station by 1730 and returned to my hotel on foot.  Back in my room, I made/ate dinner and began what seemed like a lazy evening after the previous two nights of working.  I did some reading, watched some movies, worked on Duolingo exercises, caught up on eBird entries and updated my travel blog.  At 1955, I went to the Fitness Center and rode the stationary (recumbent) bike for 20 minutes (4.3 miles).  Beyond that, I spent the rest of the evening watching movies and YouTube videos - bedtime was at 2245.  It wasn't the most exciting day I've ever had during the Nomad Life but I believe it did help to get me back on the daytime schedule.  We'll see...

Salt Lake City Work Trip - Day 4

Like yesterday morning, I was still engrossed in our overnight shift when the day began in the Mountain Time Zone.  Even though it is rare, I stayed awake with coffee and walking.  There was lots of testing, waiting (while the technicians fixed problems we encountered) and paperwork involved with our mid-shift activities.  Since this was my first "solo" install for this kind of facility, I was constantly asking for help and getting new technical context for what we were doing.  There was another person learning on the job with me but I think we did well as a team.  Along with the rest of the Installation Team, we overcame obstacles and got the project completed.  I'll admit that it was VERY satisfying to send the "all finished" report to HQ.  By 0430, we were cleared to depart (with the blessing of all concerned) and I was quite happy to depart the work site.  On the way back to my hotel (mostly via I-215) I was startled out of my zone by some boxes in the middle of the road - I nearly hit them but swerved at last second.  By then, I knew how very tired I was and had to force myself to stay focused for the rest of the drive.  I arrived at the Staybridge Suites (West Valley City) by 0450.  Walking away from my car, I could have sworn that the crack on my windshield seemed to have stopped moving - we'll see...  Unlike yesterday, I went to my room and continued teleworking until the time when the breakfast buffet started (0630).  Once I was allowed to grab a place, I ate my morning meal before returning to my room (0700) and going to sleep.  Due to my fatigue, I slept pretty well (almost until 1215) - there was one disturbance outside my room at 1030 that interrupted my rest but I got past it.  After that, I resumed teleworking off/on for the next few hours.  Along the way, I had time for reading, puzzles and Duolingo.  My work day (and full hours) wrapped up at 1600.  Next, I made (and ate) dinner for myself in the room in my kitchen and did some work on my travel blog.  At 1715, I left the hotel and drove to the nearby Rabbit's Foot Brewing.  By then, the day was sunny and warm (79 F).  On the way, I saw that the window crack had gotten worse since the morning (grrrr).  When I arrived at the taproom, I found out that it was their "Thursday Special" - $3 house brews all day ("because no Happy Hours allowed in Utah")!  The server girl was uncomfortably friendly, saying things like "hey cuddle bug" and "how are you doing, sweetie?"  Fortunately, she was doing it to everyone else too.  There was some bar conversation about the sports on the TV but I was still quite tired from my overnight work this week and didn't engage anyone.  I stayed for three beers and watched a large part of a football game.  After that, I drove around in the immediate area (near the Maverick Center and some Olympic Games remnants), looking for a nature preserve that I'd noticed on the map - when I couldn't locate it, I returned to the hotel.  After parking, I walked north (through some new neighborhoods) and found a pedestrian access point that led me to Decker Lake.  Starting at 1910, I walked on the paved track round the body of water and did a bit of birding.  From this location, there were very good views of the mountains to the east and west - I was also treated to a beautiful sunset.  Back at my hotel (arrived in my room at 2000), I went to work out in the Fitness Center for 20 minutes on the stationary (recumbent) bike (4.2 miles).  Finished at 2105, I returned to my room and watched movies.  It had taken all day but I'd started to feel more like I was on a normal schedule.  Sadly, I wasn't disciplined and ended up waiting until 2300 before going to bed.  Hopefully, I won't pay a price for that.  It did feel very good to be finished with the on-site, overnight and complicated work for the week - yay!

Salt Lake City Work Trip - Day 3

Due to the mid-shift / overnight nature of my job this week, I was still working when the clock read 0001.  To keep myself going, I drank a rare cup of coffee and stayed on my feet as much as possible.  By 0100, the testing had officially begun and I worked very hard for the next few hours.  Thankfully, all of our tests were successful and we were able to wrap up Phase 2 of our visit (and all paperwork) by 0330.  However, I stayed on site until 0345 to make sure that everyone else was able to leave too.  After that, I drove back (mostly on I-215) back to the Staybridge Suites (West Valley City).  It was cool enough (high 40s) that I needed the defrost feature to be able to see clearly through my windshield.  I'm thinking the cold weather is coming soon... After arriving at 0405, I checked on some work stuff before heading to bed (0430).  Not wanting to miss the delicious breakfast buffet, I got up at 0900 and headed down to the lobby of the hotel.  It felt to get some substantial food in me after the strange hours I'd been working.  When I was finished with the meal, I returned to my room to read and catch up on some telework.  However, I didn't attend any of the usual meetings for a Wednesday because most were canceled or I'd chosen to skip them.  Starting at 1200, I took a three hour nap (successful this time!).  When I was awake again, I did some more reading but ended up never leaving my room during the middle of the day, even though it was warm and sunny outside.  I tried to rationalize this loss of opportunity for exercise or adventure by telling myself that I needed the sleep (probably true).  At 1745, I went to the lobby of the hotel for the "Dinner / Happy Hour".  This time, they had "loaded potatoes" and broccoli.  Like last night, I didn't have alcohol, just soda.  Afterwards, I walked a full circuit of the Springhill Suites and Holiday Inn Express complex and got my birding observation for the day.  When I checked on my car, I saw that the spiderweb crack on my windshield had grown to almost a full circle near the lower middle part of my window - dang...  In my room again, I worked on some responses for the eBird volunteers who had contacted me about birding observations I'd made during my recent trip to North Dakota.  In the end, I made several corrections but was able to stand my ground on others.  At 1925, I went to the Fitness Center and worked out on the stationary (recumbent) bike for 20 minutes (4.2 miles).  Back in my again (1950), I got ready to depart for my all night job shift.  Even though the meet-up time wasn't until 2130, I still departed the hotel at 2045 and drove (mostly via I-215) to the work site.  After arriving (2105), I settled down at a desk where I could work until the technicians finished up their work.  The the rest of the team got started with Phase 3 of our work project by 2200 and were very busy for the next few hours.  Unlike the previous evening, they were ready for me to join them in the testing exercises before midnight.  Optimistically, I got going through the checklists and felt the growing excitement of being able to report back (to Headquarters in DC) that we'd wrapped up our work.  When the clock struck Midnight, I hadn't turned into a pumpkin and was still on track.  Crossing fingers!

Salt Lake City Work Trip - Day 2

With an overnight installation activity in the works, I really didn't want to wake up early.  Sadly, my body got me up (no alarm) at 0515.  Since my day was mostly going to connect to the Tech Refresh activities at the FAA site, I didn't immediately begin teleworking like I normally do.  Instead, I spent time reading, doing puzzles and worked on Duolingo exercises.  By 0545, however, I was teleworking.  At 0755, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Staybridge Suites (Salt Lake City) and got my fill of food.  Back in my room, I began teleworking (working off and on) until I'd logged about four hours.  With hours to go until I had to report for my first overnight shift, I tried to think about things I could do to generate exhaustion and/or give me a good reason for an afternoon nap.  It suddenly occurred to me that a visit to nearby Timpaganos Cave National Monument might be a good idea.  After some difficulty, I managed to buy a ticket (for a cave tour) online.  By 1015, I was on my way to the National Park Service Unit (a new one for me).  Outside, it was sunny and temps were in the low 60s - what another great day!  I really liked seeing the views of the Wasatch Range to the east - those mountains were obscured when I arrived yesterday.  I made my way to I-215 and took it east until I reached I-15.  It was great that there wasn't much traffic because there was plenty of construction and confusing lane changes to keep me busy...  By 1035, I was in the town of Lehi (Utah County) and got on UT-92.  This road took me to the east and into a gorge with very high cliffs.  Signs soon told me that I was in the Uinta National Forest and a fee building indicated that people were supposed to pay to cross a popular pass there (I didn't stop because I had a National Park Pass).  I arrived at Timpagonos NM at 1055 and went inside the Visitor Center to learn more about my visit to the caves.  By 1005, I was standing in front of a Ranger Kiosk (outside) for my safety brief - there were all kinds of warnings about the elevation and rockslides.  I started my walk at 1110 and was immediately treated to a steep climb (1092 feet gain in 1.5 miles) of the deep canyon (American Fork gorge).  The steep ravine had no guard rails in most places and I soon learned that the chance of rock slides had not been exaggerated; the main danger areas were denoted by yellow-red striped lines.  There were lots of switchbacks but the paved trail mainly headed west along the side of Mount Timpanogos.  At times, I encountered people resting on benches and stopped myself to check my pulse (there were warnings about overexertion).  At a fork in the trail, I followed signs that pointed the way towards the "muster area."  Along the way, I found a bathroom built into the rocks - it was quite precarious but I tried it out anyway...  The ticket I'd bought had lots of notes about how I had 1.5 hours to reach the top of the climb and join my tour group; in other words, my 1115 ticket was actually for a 1245 tour time.  For me, this ended up being too much extra time - I arrived at the entrance to the cave by 1200 and found a large group waiting.  However, most were there for the 1230 tour (I don't think anyone else was there yet for my tour time).  While I was waiting, a rock fell from a higher point on the cliff and it was hard to watch people trying to warn the climbers below - there was a lot of "Rock!" and "there is a rock coming" and "I said 'rock!'"  Hopefully, no one was hurt...  When a Ranger arrived at 1220 to check everyone's tickets, I waited until she had counted everyone before asking if I could join the earlier group.  She didn't immediately agree but, when it was time to depart, I was allowed to join the 1100 ticket holders for the 1230 tour (15 minutes earlier than I'd reserved).  A different Ranger (named Kim) was our guide and was full of funny anecdotes and interesting information.  Inside the first cave, it was 45 F and I was glad to have brought a light jacket (which I put on).  We found some interesting formations in Hansen Cave but it wasn't very big.  However, it only took a walk through a short (man made) tunnel before we were inside Middle Cave.  There we found an area called the "Coral Gardens" that had all kinds of stalagmites and stalactites.  As we made our way through the cave system, we ended up inside another (longer) tunnel which connected to the largest and most interesting of all of the caverns: Timpanogas Cave.  Immediately, we got to see something called "The Heart", learned about helictites and were shown (with a flashlight) the color that nickel made on the formations.  We later got to take a side trail into an area called the "Chimes Chamber" - there were lots of soda straws and formations colored by other minerals in that room.  Ranger Kim told us we had dipped down to 500 feet underground at this point!  Leaving this interesting area, we started climbing a stairway uphill until we were inside the "Imagination Room", which had rocks in the shape of "cave bacon", a unicorn, a camel,  a sea turtle and some "orange falls" (iron).  By this point, we'd seen a lot of amazing formations, colors and geology - the tour was great.  So it was a rather bittersweet moment when were exited the cave at 1325.  After so long in the limited light and cool temperatures, it took a bit of time to reacclimate.  Since we'd walked about half a mile underground, we ended up a considerable distance way from where we'd entered the caves and on a different trail.  However, this ended up being a good thing - nearby, someone in the group saw a flock of bighorn sheep!  After getting a look at them (wish I'd brought my binoculars), I headed towards the bottom of the gorge - after more than three miles of walking for the day, I was at the trailhead again (1405).  What a nice visit!  The only downside was that I had developed a rather large blister (due to a "hot spot" in my hiking boot).  Since I'd had such a good time and hadn't yet dealt with any city traffic, I decided to backtrack to my hotel as soon as possible; using reverse directions from the morning, I arrived there at 1445.  Before going to my room, I spent some time searching my car for items I wanted to have during my overnight work.  Fortunately, I found some but it was clear that I may have shed some needed/desired equipment when I was last at my storage unit...  By 1515, I was back online, checking to see if anything had changed with the plan (nothing had).  Deciding against making food for a late lunch, I did some reading and then tried to take a nap (from 1615).  Sadly, this plan didn’t work and, by 1730, I'd given up and went to “dinner” (minus the happy hour) in the lobby of the hotel.  By 1820, I went back to my car to do some more searching (still never found my missing thermos).  Next (1905), I went to the Fitness Center and worked out on the stationary (recumbent) bike for 20 minutes (4.5 miles).  By 1930, I was back to my room and started to get cleaned up and ready for my work day/night. Hoping to meet up with my FAA counterpart (Nicole, working the day shift), I departed from the hotel at 2040 and drove (mostly via I-215) to the Salt Lake City Airport.  When I arrived at the work site, I was able to get inside the gate just fine and then found a place to park (2100).  Since I'd never been there before, I was surprised that I somehow made a lucky decision on choosing the door to enter.  Within about 10 minutes (and with some help from the local staff), I was able to locate some of the other folks I was going to work with for the rest of the week.  However, my counterpart lead (Nicole) didn't show up until about 2125.  When I told her I was already inside, she said she would return to her hotel, meaning that I never saw her once (and probably wouldn't at all) for the week.  This situation caused some questions among my other colleagues but I just moved on the next task.  Our project started in earnest at 2150 but I had to wait for the technicians to complete their work before my own role began.  Since this was my first "solo" install for this kind of facility, I spent time asking technical questions and getting into the swing of the testing work I needed to be doing.  Since I'd prepared (at the hotel), there was coffee, cocoa and lollipops to pass the time.  Because of the complexity of the effort, I was still working at midnight.  It looked to be a long night...

Salt Lake City Work Trip - Day 1

I made it to my next work trip!  Over the last 10 days or so, I've been making my way towards Salt Lake City so I could join up with the rest of my project team so we can do some more Technology Refreshment on site at another FAA facility.  When I arrived in Evanston (Utah / Wyoming border) last night, I was quite relieved to be in striking distance of my hotel for the week - forecasted rain today would have made a longer drive very unpleasant...  This morning, I was up at 0630 (with alarm clock) and set up my work computer so I could monitor activities of the rest of the team on site.  Before I even went to breakfast, I got a call from Mollie, who wasn't feeling well and wanted some support.  I happily gave it to her (glad that I was in cell range and had the free time).  After we hung up, I had time for reading and puzzles.  At 0800, I finally went to eat my morning meal in the lobby of Days Inn (Evanston).  Immediately after that, I worked out in the Fitness Center on the stationary (recumbent) bike for 20 minutes (4.8 miles).  Back in my room again at 0900, I spent some time packing and then worked on catching up on my travel blog - within an hour, I was up to date through last night (whew).  Beyond that, I reviewed some documentation I knew I'd need for my job during the week.  About the only surprise of the day ended up being hearing from my FAA counterpart (Nicole) that she wanted me to work the mid-shifts (i.e., overnight).  This was much different from what I'd seen in Minneapolis (with a different FAA colleague).  Since I'm a Contractor/Consultant, I didn't argue.  Instead, I tried to put a positive spin on the development: I wasn't needed in person yet and I didn't have to do more work than traveling for the whole day.  Still, it was weird...  Meanwhile, outside, it was raining steadily, with temps in the low 50s.  Since I'd asked for a late checkout, I didn't leave my room until 1145 - by then, the rain had turned to a lighter drizzle.  Before departing from Evanston, I drove a short distance to get gas at Flying J - the price for their 85 octane was higher than I wanted to pay but the Utah prices looked much, much worse...  I spent a lot of time cleaning up the car, trying to get ahead of the bugs and felt good about my recent progress in this task.  Unfortunately, though, the crack that first appeared on my windshield last night had already gotten very long.   Dang...  With fuel and a cleaner car, I got on I-80 and headed west - I entered Utah at 1210.  Since I knew generally where I was going, I didn't initially use a map app.  This allowed me to continue listening to my audiobook.  The roads were wet and I was about as high in elevation (6800ish) as I've been in many months.  This meant that the trucks were much more dependent on momentum and the open road.  At one point, I got a bit startled by a large truck that was bearing down on me (while I was passing another 18-wheeler) above the speed (80 mph) that I was driving.  His flashing lights only made the image more disconcerting and I carefully maneuvered out of his way.  Whew!  When I arrived at the junction of I-80 and I-84 (1230), I was pleasantly surprised to see so many birds in the Echo Reservoir.  Hopefully, there will be some good birding this week.  Next, I reached I-15 and switched to UT-201.  This took me to I-215 and I used this road to reach my hotel, the Staybridge Suites in West Valley.  When I arrived (1330), I noted that my final odometer of the trip from Minneapolis to Salt Lake City was 106640, which was about 2200 miles beyond the reading I took when I was leaving my hotel in Minnesota.  What a 10 day trip).  I was pretty early but the desk clerk let me check into my room immediately and I used the extra time to unload my car.  After getting settled in my nice room (kitchen!), I went to the Business Center for print outs.  Between 1500 and 1700, I did laundry and (while it was cleaning) explored the hotel.  I soon discovered that there were actually two, attached hotels - the other one, a Holiday Inn Express, was located on the other side of the courtyard but was connected by corridors in a few places.  Each door in the "no mans land" area required a separate key (depending on which hotel a person was staying at).  There was also a huge water park available for guests - it included lots of slides and other water games for kids.  Along the way, I checked out the Fitness Center and found it to be very well equipped.  Beyond the parking lot, I noticed that there was a trolley/train system - I decided that I needed to investigate that fully.  Before my laundry was done, I had time for reading and organizing of my room.  Perhaps more important, though, I worked on Thanksgiving stuff and exchanged texts with friends and work colleagues (they'd wrapped up their visit to the work site already).  At 1730, I went down to the lobby for the evening meal / "happy hour".  This was one of the reasons I'd chosen the hotel and I was pleased to find that they had really good pizza.  While gorging myself (I'd missed lunch), I also got to try some local wine and National label beers (I took one can back to my room).  At 1830, I was able to have a nice phone call with Brenna - she had a lot of news about her new school and the new Fall term.  We talked for over an hour and, after we hung up, I watched movies.  Before bed, I did some Duolingo exercises and caught up on my reading.  Needless to day, I was very tired when it was finally bed time (2230) and I gladly turned out my lights.  This will be my last "normal" bed time for several days, though - bring on the "all night" installation!

Nomad Life - Day 337

At my friend's (Jeff F's) hunting campsite on the high plains of Wyoming, I slept alright - however, I did get up once during the night and was amazed by the brightness of the full moon.  When my night finally ended (0630), I exited the fifth wheel camper (parked near Prior Flat Campground in Carbon County) to find a cool (50s) and breezy morning (just the beginning of the sunrise).  What an amazing place!  Back inside the camper, I sat down with Jeff and Jamie to breakfast: elk sausage & cheese sandwiches (prepared by Jamie).  The food was good but we all seemed to be suffering from allergies.  Jeff hinted that it might be the sage that was growing all around but I'm still pretty certain that it's the ragweed I've been reacting to since I entered Michigan...  Before I wrapped up my visit, I asked Jeff and Jamie some questions about their hunting camp; along the way, I learned more about how they selected their site, how easy it was (at times) to get a "speed goat" and what they did with the meat afterwards.  It all sounded very interesting and they invited me to return some day to participate.  We'll see...  At 0910 (temperature was 59 F), I said goodbye to my friends and got back on (gravel) CR-102 so I could head west.  My drive began with some sprinkles but I really wasn't affected by any water during this tough drive on the narrow gravel track over the Seminoe Mountain range.  I used CR-291 and CR-351 to finally reach pavement again (I believe I was on Seminoe Road for the rest of this drive).  Along the way, I passed by the North Platte River Miracle Mile and made my way through some steep passes as the road climbed the mountain.  At times, I had to contend with "washboard" gravel but my Subaru Outback did alright.  I passed lots of amazing rocks and was a bit sad, actually, when I reached the highest point of the pass.  After that, the road was a very steep downhill route and I had to be cautious about my brakes.  My Google Maps app (which had functioned well since finding a cell tower) led me through the Morgan Creek Wildlife Habitat Management Area (WHMA) and I was treated to an encounter with some bighorn sheep that were crossing the road.  Just when I thought the descent was over, I had to climb up and over another pass.  During the descent from this height, I stopped at an overlook spot for the Seminoe Dam & Reservoir (1005).  Beyond that, I found the Seminoe State Park (North & South Redhills, Sunshine Beach) and rediscovered some pavement.  In the distance, I saw the lake and several large sand dunes.  At 1025, I found a place with lots of cell service and stopped to use the internet - I was moving again by 1105.  This time, I started up an audiobook to pass the time as my drive continued across a flat prairie to the north of I-80. I found the North Platte River again as I approached the town of Sinclair but didn't tarry.  Instead, I got on I-80 (1130) and headed west.  I'd been planning to hike a bit on the Continental Divide Trail, though, so wasn't on the Interstate very long.  Instead, I exited at the town of Rawlins and stopped for lunch at a Taco Bell where I'd eaten when I was in the area back in January.  The food took a long time to arrive and I ate it in the restaurant before I was finished (1215).  Next, I drove north on the US-287 bypass until I could get on US-287.  My destination was the parking lot for the CDT where I'd stopped my "on road drive" of the trail when I'd been here before.  By 1225, I was hiking (northbound) from the parking lot.  I had to open a cattle gate on the way but was soon passing through a dusty prairie.  The day was sunny (with some clouds) and the temps were in the mid 60s - this meant that I didn't need a coat.  There were very few blazes - this made navigation difficult because the trail was very curvy. In fact, I needed the internet map to follow the CDT and lost my bearings several time.  Despite the challenges, I walked all the way to Cherokee Road before deciding to exit the trail.  Later, I figured out that I'd walked 2.6 miles of the CDT.  To reach my car again, I hiked east on the dirt road to US-287 - beyond that, I found myself walking south on an old trail near the fence line.  My (nearly five mile) hike was over at 1405.  Very glad I got out of my car for some long distance trail miles!  Before starting up my car again, I made a reservation for a hotel in the town of Evanston (near the Utah border).  Eventually (1415), though, I left the trailhead, drove through Rawlins and returned to I-80.  Unfortunately, my difficulties were just beginning...  At first, I had to travel through 10 miles of construction.  Just when I thought I was clear, though, everyone around me came to a complete stop.  This delay wasn't too bad and I was soon up to speed again.  I passed over one Continental Divide (7000 feet) just before a large (sharp?) stone made a deep star on my windshield - that is going to hurt...  At stations I passed along the way, I noticed REALLY high gas prices (yikes).  I soon passed signs for another Continental Divide (6620 feet) and thought I was in the clear as far as delays went.  But then I had to think quickly to avoid an abrupt lane ending.  Just after I got back up to speed again, I was blocked at another closure of some kind - we were completely stopped more than 30 minutes!  With no news from WYDOT, I turned my car completely off for most of the delay.  We finally got moving (one lane) and I noticed that a car in the passing lane had lost a wheel.  In the end, I didn't ever find out why I'd been stuck for so long and the long construction zone after that (slow single lane) continued for almost 20 miles (grrrr), with another full stop in the middle.  By the time we cleared this zone, I was very distrustful of the good speeds I found to the west.  Fortunately, I never got stopped again.  In the meantime, the gas prices kept getting worse...  To distract myself, I listened to NFL football scores on SiriusXM.  At 1715, I stopped at Little America (a place I'd once visited with Mollie) but was only there for five minutes.  Beyond that, I had to deal with intermittent rain and almost got run over by a truck that didn't seem to be able to stop during a steep descent.  Needless to say, I was quite relieved to arrive in Evanston and find my hotel (Days Inn) at 1815...  With most of the drive to Salt Lake City completed (by Day 9 since I left Minneapolis), I felt like I could relax a bit.  I took my first bath in a few days, worked on some Duolingo exercises, did some reading, caught up on my travel blog and made some eBird entries.  Beyond that, I did some planning (work stuff) for the next day.  When I went to bed at 2300, I felt like I'd been truly productive.  It's time to join my work colleagues in Salt Lake tomorrow! Continental Divide Trail Today = 2.6 miles / Grand Total CDT = 44.0 miles (corrections made for hikes in 2011 and 2017)

Nomad Life - Day 336

Still trying (unsuccessfully) to adjust to the Mountain Time Zone, I woke up at 0445 this morning and couldn't immediately go back to sleep.  During this window, I did some reading and puzzles and, by 0530, I felt ready to try sleeping again.  Fortunately, I managed to reach 0700 before feeling ready to get up for real.  Since it was a weekend day, I did some Duolingo exercises before heading down to breakfast in the lobby of the SureStay by Best Western (Miles City) at 0735.  Outside it was cool (low 60s) and sunny.  After my morning meal, I spent time working on my travel blog.  At 1030, I loaded up my car and departed the hotel.  Before departing Miles City, I drove to the Downtown area (nice); after that, I got on US-12 (headed east) and rejoined MT-59 (where my hotel was located).  From that point, I was mostly headed due south.  As I'd done yesterday, I tried to be careful with my speed, hoping to keep my gas mileage near 30 mpg.  This effort was assisted nicely by the fact that the terrain was mostly flat - there were a few hills but only sporadically.  Along the way, I passed Longhorns grazing and saw lots of pronghorns wherever I looked.   Strangely, there were no other cars headed in my direction and this allowed me to stay under the posted speed limit.  At 1130, I entered Powder River County and, soon after, got on US-212 (east), the "Warrior Trail."  At around this time, I started seeing signs for Wall Drug...  When I reached the town of Broadus, I turned south again and crossed the Powder River.  Shortly after that, I rejoined MT-59 and encountered a bit more traffic.  For the rest of the morning, I let people pass me from time to time while maintaining my 60 or 65 mph rate of travel.  At 1240, I reached the border with Wyoming (Campbell County, the road changed to WY-59) and noticed a steep decline in road quality.  The day had gotten warmer by this point (70 F) and the sky was cloudless.  I passed by a very lonely looking school on the prairie but, otherwise, I only saw lots of cows (mostly brown and white).  Another stark image of Wyoming appeared on the horizon soon after that: I watched a lone horseman (standing still) looking wistfully towards the open prairie.  When I entered the Thunder Basin National Grassland, the road quality improved.  I passed the time by listening to College Football scores on SiriusXM.  Along the way, I passed lots of BLM horse trailheads, dried up ponds and low water-level rivers.  North of Gillette, I passed through a newer-looking industrial area and found that the roads seemed to be designed to avoid the buildings (i.e., only east and west travel allowed).  Soon after that, I started driving east on US-14/16 - very close to that point, I passed a huge RV park (it appeared to be only 25% full).  Next, I got on BL-90 in Gillette before stopping for lunch at McDonalds (1350).  While I had a good cell signal, I coordinated with my Navy squadron mate, Jeff F, about meeting up at his hunting camp south west of Casper.  Once that was all arranged (1400), I departed Gillette on WY-50 (to the south).  I ate lunch on the way and started thinking about attending the Vigil Mass at a church in Casper - I'd already researched the locations so changed my Google Maps app destination accordingly.  Outside of Gillette, I started seeing snow fences and much longer views in all directions. Before long, I passed town a town that was located at 5000 feet elevation.  Noting that I might be late for church, I greatly accelerated my speeds at this point (though still watching my mileage).  The day was warming up gradually (near 80 F by this point).  Soon after I turned west on WY-387, I crossed the Bozeman Trail.  At 1505, I entered Johnson County; by 1515, I was in Natrona County.  After that, I started to see many more buttes and canyons.  I turned on to WY-259 ("Black Gold Byway") and left behind most of the traffic again (no other cars in my direction) until I arrived at the junction of I-25.  By this point, I knew I'd make Mass in time but didn't slow down.  At 1550, I reached Casper and exited the Interstate on to WY-220.  I was surprised to find the North Platte River in the area - I guess I'd always thought of it flowing farther north...  There was some significant construction in the city but I made it in time to attend Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church (1600).  The service was quite crowded and the Homily was very intense and thorough.  People were very friendly - always a nice thing when I find a random church during my Nomad Life.  In the end, I was glad that I'd made the effort to attend.  My next mission was to stop for some beer (to add to the party at Jeff's hunting camp).  I stopped at a nearby Albertsons and bought a 12 pack of Shiner Taproom (assortment) at 1700.  Like I'd seen in Montana, there was no tax on the beer in Wyoming.  However, I was surprised to find that alcohol could only be bought in a special part of the grocery store (separate register).  Next (1710), I stopped at Exxon to fill up my tank.  As I've been seeing for many days, fuel prices are getting pricier but this station was still in the ballpark for what I'd consider "fair".  With all errands completed in Casper, I departed on WY-200 to the southwest.  Shortly after that, I was surprised to see a large prairie dog standing on the shoulder of the highway.  I passed lots of California Trail / Oregon Trail signs and enjoyed the views of the shining water on the North Platte River - the highway was following it through a pretty valley defined by lots of interesting rocks, buttes and little canyons.  I soon turned on to WY-487 (east initially but the road later turned south).  This road, which appeared to be called the "Sand Creek Massacre Trail" passed by lots of  pretty ranches.  I was able to listen to most of a Notre Dame (versus Purdue) football games on SiriusXM along the way.  Before long, I was on WY-77 and entered Carbon County at 1755.  The drive was soon crossing through an area with signs about "Open Range" and dotted with pronghorns.  As I'd seen to the north, the road surface was not good.  Following directions from Jeff (thankfully, I'd written them down before I lost cell signal), I drove west on CR-102 (Leo Shirley Basin Road, gravel), dodging hunters on four wheelers.  By 1820, I arrived at Jeff’s campsite, located near the Prior Flat Campground.  There were other campsites visible in the distance in several directions but, otherwise, this was a very remote location.  The mountains to the west made the whole area seem farther from civilization that I actually was.  It was quintessential Wyoming!  For the first time in nearly 25 years, I got to hang out with my friend - I also met his brother Jamie (retired US Navy Chief) & Simon (Apache pilot).  They had set up their fifth-wheel and it was big enough for a relaxing time.  After visiting for a while, we ate dinner that Jeff had prepared: beef stew, salad and boiled potatoes.  There was lots of time for reminiscing and, after Simon left, watching movies (on DVD) from the 1980s.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the beer but we old me were ready for bed by 2230.  My rack was the upper bunk in the spacious camper and I slept pretty well up there.  Who would have guessed my lodging tonight would be out on the high plains of Wyoming?

Nomad Life - Day 335

After yesterday's mix-up with my alarm, I made sure to get up at 0500 (Mountain Time) when it rang (I'd remembered to set it).  Hoping to reduce the amount of time I'd need to work after checking out of my hotel (the Microtel in Sidney), I started teleworking immediately.  I took one short break and went to breakfast in the lobby of the hotel; otherwise, I continued teleworking (uninterrupted except for making a new hotel reservation for Miles City) until 1145.  After that, I loaded up my car, checked out of the hotel and departed.  The day started out sunny and warm (mid 70s) - I'm so lucky!  Before departing from town, I stopped for fuel at the local Loaf & Jug - this was the cheapest gas in Sidney and, I suspect, for quite a while.  Once ready for my drive, I headed southwest on MT-200.  When I reached my first roundabout of the day, I turned on to MT-16 and started following the Yellowstone River.  My friends, Lewis and Clark, were featured on road signs all along the route.  The terrain was mostly flat, initially and I started to get really good gas mileage (30+ mpg).  Sadly, the good times didn't last and I got stuck for nearly 20 minutes (long delay for pilot car) in a construction zone.  Beyond that, I entered a deep cut river valley and the terrain transitioned to rolling hills.  I passed the time with an audiobook.  At 1235, I entered Dawson County and got a nice view of the Yellowstone when the road edged very close to it.  Most of the time, though, the river was not visible (even though I could see it on my Map App).  The temperatures began to rise and it was soon very warm (almost 80 F).  When I reached the outskirts of the town of West Glendive (1300), I stopped to see Glendisaueus (dinosaur statue) and drove around a small lake nearby.  After that, I drove a little bit south and got on I-94.  Almost immediately, I started seeing signs for local parks and recreation so I got off the Interstate at the next exit and made my way (via MT-200S and Business Loop 94) into West Glendive.  After I crossed the Yellowstone River and entered Glendive, I parked in a gravel lot near the Bell Street Bridge (pedestrian only) so I could get a short walk and do some birding.  It was a bit windy but I enjoyed the exercise and views.  There was a park on the west side of the river and, when I got there (1320), I found some interesting species.  During this time, I thought I was hearing a parade and it turned out to be just that - someone told me it was the Homecoming parade for the local high school.  I was done walking at 1335 and (using almost the same route I had to get to Glendive before) backtracked to I-94.  On the (very high speed) Interstate, I started passing through vast ranch lands - the land was very flat and dusty.  Hoping to save gas, I stayed well under the speed limit - in this effort, I was assisted by several construction zones.  I entered Prairie County at 1400 and started using the frontage road (off & on the Interstate) so I could keep my cruise control at 60 mph.  This decision ended up giving me an interesting experience that otherwise wouldn't have happened: at one point (about 25-30 miles northeast of Miles City), I saw a handmade sign that said something about Sitting Bull.  Later, I learned later that this sign could be connected with local (Lakota) legends that Sitting Bull was born at the "Many Caches" site in the area (near the mouth of the Powder River); this area was also, apparently, connected with an unsuccessful peace effort by Father DeSmet and Sitting Bull in 1868.  Soon after seeing this sign, I entered Custer County (1430).  A bit later (1450), I stopped at the Matthews Recreation Area (a BLM site (or camping and boating), located right on the Yellowstone River.  Hoping to get a bit more exercise, I went walking on some trails there and watched the river for birds.  I was very successful in my efforts and, as I backtracked into the camping area, I found many more (including my first Greater-Sage Grouse).  From a sign in the park, I learned that the Steamer “Yellowstone” wrecked near this location.  I finished my visit at 1515 and used the same road to reach Miles City.  As I'd feared, I saw much higher gas prices than I wanted - dang...  There were also, like I'd seen in Sidney, casinos everywhere.  At 1530, I arrived at my hotel, the SureStay by Best Western (Miles City).  This was my first time using this brand and it was good.  The desk clerk lady was very nice and gave me a recommendation for a wonderful restaurant within walking distance.  Once in my room, I logged back on to check my work computer and took care of some work items until about 1600.  Finally finished with my work week, I redirected my attention to my travel blog, travel planning and some Thanksgiving items.  At 1730, I walked (south from my hotel) to the Black Iron Grill.  It was a very nice place and the staff were energetic and friendly.  I tried some local beers and, for my dinner, I ordered a plate with all of the meats they featured (wow).  The meal also included a loaded baked potato and Caesar salad so I took my time eating.  Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t finish.  One of the fun things to do while I was eating was to watch the bartenders: their mixed drinks included one (apparently very popular) that was made with Coors Light and tomato just (the result, the “Clamato” was a reddish beer) and another (a cocktail) that featured a bacon strip along with celery and carrots.  When I went to pay for my meal, I figured out that the State of Montana has NO taxes on any of the food or drink!  The hostesses acted surprised that anyone should have to pay tax for those things...  I wrapped up my visit to the restaurant at 1920 and walked back to my hotel.  Along the way, I reached two miles for the day).  For the rest of the evening, I spent time watching a new episode on one of my streaming service and, later, some movies and YouTube videos.  Wrapping up my day, I did some Duolingo and some reading.  Feeling quite tired, went to bed at 2215.  Montana is turning out to be a really interesting place!