Rudy 6 toe adjusting to his new digs... Look stressed to you?

Ca

June 29, 2013: Hiking the Tetons

June 29, 2013:  Hiking the Tetons

On the agenda for this morning is a hike around Lake Jenny.  It is a popular hike because if you want, you can take a boat shuttle across the lake and shave off 2 1/2 miles of the hike to Hidden Falls, Inspiration Point and Cascade Canyon.  But we elected to take the hike all the way, and the boat shuttle back if so inclined.

Since there are lots of bears in the area, we make lots of noise as we make our way.  They are doing maintenance on the regular trail, so we are rerouted to a longer, more difficult trail.  It is still beautiful as we climb under a pine canopy passing wild columbine, canyons sunflowers and other wildflowers too many to name.  (That is pretty much the same as saying I don't know their names...).  As usual, I am always looking at the rocks.  As a naif rock-hound, I am always on the lookout for something pretty.  I pick up a rock here, another there.  I put a rather large rock in Crew's backpack.  Spouse is complaining about the extra weight he will be towing.  He is calling me LUCY.  For those of you that are not familiar with that reference, the Lucille Ball/Desi Arnaz movie The Long Trailer has a scene about her collecting rocks.

We come upon a rockslide and before my eyes is sensory overload.  I could have spent all day pawing through the pieces.  I don't know one type of rock from another.  I would not recognize raw rhodenite or raw selenite.  I don't even know how to spell them.  But if I see a rock with lots of color variations, I think they will polish well and I tend to pick them up.  Unfortunately (or fortunately for Spouse), the rocks I want are boulders and they won't be leaving with me!  And I think the Park Service would frown if they saw me with my rock hammer...

 As we near Hidden Falls, we see a beautiful perch and stop to eat some of our lunch.  The couple sitting there just spotted a black bear heading towards the trail, so they were waiting it out on our rock.  While we ate, we were sure the fragrance from our sandwiches was wafting to Yogi.  The couple left and came back two minutes later.  They will wait a bit longer.  So will we.

At this point, we are thinking we are beyond the dock where the boat shuttle is, and I leave a couple of my rocks, thinking I would get them on the return trip.  Shame on me.  We did not go back that way.

When we got to Hidden Falls, so did Yogi, so we could only view the falls from one direction.  At that point,  Spouse said he was done, so I gave him one of my rocks to safeguard (which he left behind), and Crew and I continued the climb to Inspiration Point which was about another 1/2 mile.  From here,  there are sweeping views of Lake Jenny and her surroundings.  Now, Crew is done.  I wanted to go further into Cascade Canyon, but with Yogi on the prowl, they do not recommend hiking alone.  On our return to Hidden Falls, we were able to get over to the viewpoint.  We then hiked down to the docks for the boat ride across.  And Crew had another rock in his backpack...

We made the drive back to Hannah, and I sat in my reclining chair with Rudy 6 Toes on my lap and took a nap.

By the way, last night, we had a fire in the fire pit.  And by some miracle, Spouse did not start a forest fire.

 

June 28 PS-----

Internet availability here is very iffy, so my posts may not be timely.  I am sure my legions of fans can handle it...

Love and kisses

June 28, 2013 Teton Bound

June 28, 2013:  Teton Bound

 The sun does not go down till after 9:00 pm, and it isn't dark till after 10:00.  Crew is wanting to see a super starry night but with the super moon we just had and the late sunsets, it just hasn't happened for him.

 It was a chilly morning, and we got up early and readied Hannah for departure.  We left the Bates Motel of RV Parks and headed north.   We heard that if you get to the Grand Tetons early, you can get a spot with electricity, but not with water and sewer.  And since all the full hook up spots were booked (probably years in advance), we thought this would be a good option.  From the Grand Tetons, we can easily go to Jackson Hole and Yellowstone.  So we decided to stay a full week.  We filled Hannah with water so we can cook and actually shower (although we must be smart about how we fill our tanks), and we are right near the park bathrooms so, for the most part, we are good there.  We can use our own head, but if we can avoid uprooting Hannah to take her to a dump station, that would be best.  So the head is essentially for middle of the night deposits.  The RV spots are quite decent.  They are level, and have a picnic table, trees and a fire pit.  Spouse has already collected wood pieces that are far too big to go into the fire pit.  So if you hear of the next midwest fire - the Grand Teton fire, it was probably Spouse feeding his supersized branches into the firepit!

The ride from Alpine up to the Grand Tetons is only about 70 miles through some of the most beautiful scenery nature can provide.  The Snake River winds along the road and the mountains and meadows are magnificent.  Rudy was content to sleep on my lap.  It seems his wound is a little better since Spouse 'depussified' it.  We fueled up and made sure we had some provisions and headed to our new home. 

There is road construction EVERYWHERE.  Jackson is a mess.  When we got to Grand Teton National Park, Spouse has a senior lifetime pass.  As he showed his ID, Rudy tried to go out the window.  Spouse stopped him, but it was a little scary.  We have a cat carrier at home and we don't want to get another one if we can avoid it.  He is so good riding in the car, we are hoping we don't have to get another carrier, but one more episode like that and we will have to rethink this.  Once inside, more road construction.  And we wait... and wait... and wait.  We finally get to Coulter Bay and get our site and set up.

 Then we set out to explore.  First we went to the visitor center at Coulter Bay.  Watched a Yellowstone film on wolves.  They had a telescope set up to look at a sunspot.  Not only could you see the sunspot, but you could see tiny eruptions on the sun surface.  It was pretty amazing.  We then went and explored the park. 

The Grand Tetons tower over rivers and meadows.  Glaciers line the crevasses of the crags.  There are lots of turnouts to admire the views.  We took a turn and ended up at a trailhead for Lupine Meadows.  Being that it was a little late in the day, we only hiked up about a mile, but it was a beautiful mile.  Lupines grow wild (imagine that!).  And for all of you wondering... yes, a bear does shit in the woods!

 

 

June 27, 2013 Now, where were we before we were interrupted?

June 27, 2013:  Now where were we before we were interrupted?

 Now that we had Rudy in hand (we finally changed his name so that we would not insult his malehood), we began our trek up highway 89.  Rudy went to sleep under the back seat.  So much for my NO PET rule for the next two years.  We actually thought we would end up picking up a stray on one of our journeys, but not in the first week of the first journey!

Leaving Brigham City, the road goes through deer country as it heads to the town of Logan.  Logan looks to be a prosperous old time town.  Lots of commerce and lots of charm.  Leaving Logan, we head into a valley with a variety of rocky mountains where you occasionally see rock climbers rappelling.  On the other side of the road is the Logan river and more mountains with beautiful alpine meadows dotted with pine, aspen and wild flowers.  Several picnic areas are nestled in the trees, as are many camping areas.  Had we known this neck of the woods was like this, we would have arranged to spend some time here.  But having lost a day on the kitty re-do, and with the fourth of July holiday looming, we expect a lot of traffic around the Teton and Yellowstone area.  So we didn't want to be any later than we already were.

The highway continues to follow the Logan River for miles and miles.  Ultimately, we reach a crest overlooking Bear Lake in the distance.  Bear Lake is a large lake surrounded by rolling mountains and large ranches providing a stunning scenic overlook.  We stopped and enjoyed lunch in Hannah on our perch.  Before we left the overlook, we treated Rudy's wound with antiseptic and antibiotic cream.  Puss is oozing out, but it is not inflamed.  If it is not better by the end of the weekend, he will get to see a vet.  I put him on my lap when we left to make sure he didn't lick off the ointment.  He was totally content for hours stretched out sleeping.  Hear me... a cat in a moving car stretched out and sleeping...  Either he is one hell of a traveler or he is not feeling well!

 As we left Bear Lake, we headed for the Jackson, Wyoming area.  We pass through the south eastern corner of Idaho through the cute town of Montpelier.  The highway then passes through mountains of scrub followed by spectacular alpine mountains and meadows.  We saw a veterinarian's office, but he wasn't in and the receptionist recommended we get some Neosporin for Rudy, which we will when we see a drug store.

We started looking for RV parks.  Some were literally on the side of the highway.  In this beautiful setting, it was difficult for me to understand why the scenery was not considered in the design of these RV parks.  We headed over to the National Forest and checked out those spots.  It was hot, and there would be no air conditioning - which if we were living outside would be manageable.  But living inside Hannah would be unbearable.  So we turned around and stumbled on a teeny park in the town of Alpine with a killer view.  The park is unknown as they don't advertise (and they wonder why they don't get RVs)...  I kind of feel like the owner is a little Norman Bates-ish, so if you don't hear from me by the end of July, you know where to start looking!

 
Once we got set up and ate, we sat outside with Rudy on a leash.  He is definitely curious and would be hunting in the fields if we let him.  He did give me a few WTF looks when I tugged on his leash...And then, we cleaned up his pussy wound again!  I brought him back inside Hannah and he ran to his food and ate.  Eating cures everything...  And just so you know, Rudy did use the litter box.  Of course, we keep moving the litter box depending on what we are doing...

This is the view from the 'Bates Motel RV Park'

June 26, 2013: Re-do; Do-over; Rewind...

June 26, 2013:  Re-do; Do-over; Rewind...

 It is 4:45 am and I hear my spouse...  Let's go get that cat.  You heard it right... The man that agonizes over not getting the best deal on gas in the county wants to go back the 300+ miles to pick up a stray cat.  Of course, Ruby is not just any stray cat.  She slept with us!  You all know that once you sleep with someone, it changes the dynamics of your relationship.  And he just couldn't get Ruby off his mind.

So, within 35 minutes, under the special bright moon, Hannah is ready to go.  We debated whether taking Hannah was the right thing, but given that we had no idea what was in store for us, we decided to take her.  At 5:22 am, we head out to beat the rush hour traffic for Salt Lake City and Provo. 

We watched the sun come up and there is still snow on the mountains.  Funny we didn't notice it yesterday going the opposite way.  Spouse was agonizing over potential fates for Ruby.  What if she didn't get a home?  What if winter came and nobody had taken her?  What if a wild animal got her?

Oh, what if we can't find her?  He was devising various plans of operations.  First, we would try and find her and if we couldn't, we would spend the night in our same spot.  I am not sure it occurred to him that the spot might be in use by somebody else!  One scenario after another was pouring from his brain.  Since I was only one step this side of comatose, I did not pay much attention.   I ultimately did wake up and told him to stop agonizing and we would deal with it when we got there.

It took us 5 and 1/2 hours to get there.  I was quite impressed that he did not complain about getting fuel.  As usual, he is always looking for the best deal on fuel.  When he saw diesel for $3.79, he figured he would top off the tank.  He pulled in and was immediately blocked by a delivery truck, and there was a pole on the side and there was no diesel available.  We had to get the delivery truck to move as we could not maneuver around the pole with the truck there.  There is one part of hwy. 89 where the grasshoppers swarm by the gazillions.  It is an all out assault on the truck and Hannah.  Just more of the adventure!

We pulled into Ruby's campground and went to 'our' spot.  We called, we called... no kitty.  We fanned out left, right and center and the next thing you know, Ruby comes running.  Now we must try and capture her without getting maimed.

 Spouse got some food, she was impressed.  We talked to her and she walked around, staying under an RV playing coy.  I kissed for her.  She came, I gently picked her up and we put her in Hannah, thinking this would be familiar to her.  She was not real keen on it.  So we picked her up and put her on Crew's lap in the truck and left. 

 During this cat and mouse process, we checked out her wounds and realized she is a HE.  A few wounds around the base of his tail, but he was rather nonplussed by the whole ordeal, and he settled down on Crew for the ride.  He didn't cry or struggle.  At one point, I put him on my lap and he was so relaxed, his entire body was limp as he slept.

After a few hours of driving back through another grasshopper assault, we got to a city and picked up cat litter and other kitty supplies.  WE put him in Hannah hoping he would go, but he was a little freaked so we all got back in the truck and headed to our camp.  Ruby (we are keeping the name even though it is a male - maybe it is short for Ruben...) crawled under the back seat and went to sleep.

When we got back to our point of origination, we put Ruby in the head with his litter box while we set Hannah up.  When we let him out, he was a little shy at first.  Within a half hour, he was laying on the couch purring.

We have no idea how old he is.  He needs to be fixed.  He has 6 toes on his front paws, so I often call him 'Ruby 6 toes'.  He purrs, he loves to be brushed. We are not sure if he knows what a litter box is.  Spouse took him outside on a leash and he peed, so we may have a disconnect there!   We don't know if this will be a good fit for us, but if it isn't , we will make sure he has a good home.

 After our 13 hour odyssey, I finally got to do a little power walking...  Tomorrow, the road trip resumes!  And maybe I will get some pix of our new addition.

June 25, 2013 Good Bye Ruby Tuesday

June 25, 2013  Gooood bye  Ruby Tuesday

 

In our previous episode... I left you with the thoughts of the little black kitty sitting on Spouse's lap.  Well, Spouse's lap moved inside as did little black kitty.  I named her Ruby.

 Ruby did a quick check out of Hannah, then snuggled with Spouse, then came to help me on the computer, then snuggled with Crew.  We let her spend the night inside, after all, it was cold out there and there are predators.

 She slept with Crew for a while, then she snuggled up against my legs.  Then she was at my waist.  Then she was around our heads in her attempt to get under the covers.  We had to draw the line there since she was kind of dusty.  So since she struck out getting under the covers, she started rubbing my face and curled up against my chin.  She was purring...  I loved petting her and she loved being petted.  In the morning, she came around our heads again and we put her under the top blanket.  She was quite content.

When Spouse got up, he took her outside to go to the bathroom, which she did, but she didn't want to be picked up again so he left her. 

 But, she came back and perched herself on the rocking chair back to soak up the sun.  She was making this real tough for us.  Spouse went to the store to buy some cat food.  He talked to the guy there and was told that she had been around for a couple of weeks.  She was obviously well loved.  She must have gone hunting and her owners couldn't wait for her return and now she was on the hunt for love.

 Do we keep her or not?  So many logistics to consider.  Then she left, and we readied Hannah for departure.  As we were doing the last of the chores, we found Ruby under the seat in the truck.  OH, how can we leave her... the defining moment was about to occur...  if she stayed while Spouse was moving the truck, we would have to keep her.  If she bolted, it was not meant to be. 

She bolted.  We still could have picked her up and kept her, and we wrestled with the decision, but we ultimately left her there.  As we pulled away, and she realized that she did not find another home, she trotted over to the RV a few spots down, ready to show them her stuff.  I cried.

 Spouse and I have regretted our decision to leave her all day long.  Talking to other RV'ers, they pick up critters all the time, and I am sure she will be adopted; as long as she doesn't get eaten first!

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday...

Sadly we left Bryce and headed west to 89.  Then north, ultimately to I15.  All along the ride, there is high desert and beautiful meadows, with mountains as back drops.  Utah is a beautiful state.  Today was meant to be a day of travel, so that is what we did.  A stop at Cabela's was the highlight before we settled in a small RV park in Brigham City.

June 24, 2013 Are we there yet?

June 24, 2013  Are we there yet?

 It was a cool evening last night.  We put a blanket on the bed and still had to cuddle to keep warm.  When we woke, the sun was shining.  It was warm in the sun and cool in the shade so I made sure to have some sleeves with me for our hike.

 I wanted to go on the Queens Garden/Navajo Loop trail ending in a place called 'Wall Street'.  It is about a 3 mile hike, then we would need to take the rim trail for a half mile back to the truck.  I have done the trail before and thought it one of the prettiest in the park.  We decided to get a somewhat early start.  I made us some sandwiches (that would not need to be in an ice chest), packed a light backpack and off we went.

The hike starts at about 8000 feet.  The sun is warm but the breeze is crisp and cool, which is great for hiking.  There is a 320 foot descent into the canyon through the stunning red rock spires called hoodoos.  Spouse has to volunteer to be everybody's photographer.  We come upon a foreign gentlemen photographing his family.  Spouse offers to take a picture of all of them.  At first he doesn't respond, then Crew makes a comment that he doesn't understand English.  The gentleman turned and said he understood English perfectly.  Crew went to crawl in a hole... the embarrassment doesn't end there... Then Spouse asked where he was from.  The man said he was from France.  And Spouse responded...  you don't sound French.  Is that what your accent is?  (Like the guy was putting on a fake accent just for Spouse????)  I spoke enough French to apologized for the two critters with whom I was hiking.  Kill me now...

We meander through the pine forest, stopping for a half sandwich.  Then continue as the terrain turns to climbing towards the cliffs.  'Is this the wall?' asks Spouse.  Not yet... we climb, we turn.   'Is this the wall?' asks Spouse again.  No, not yet.  As Spouse keeps asking where the wall is, Crew is going on about putting his hand into a geyser at Yellowstone so that it could remove all the skin, then he could wave he skeletal hand around to show everybody.  Kill me now...

 We finally pass through a small crevice in the cliffs that serves as the entrance to a series of switchbacks up a wall.  We are there, then I get to listen to the whining about making the climb...  Hell, why should I kill me now!  I will kill both of them instead!  Actually, they both actually enjoyed the hike, even though they were recovering some from our Angels Landing hike the other day.  We make it to the top, then even though we could take a shuttle back to the truck, we took the rim trail, hiking the additional half mile without complaint.

The weather is still cool, and clouds are forming.  It wouldn't surprise me if we got a wee bit of rain. 

We got back to Hannah.  I took a short nap while Spouse transacted park business.  Then we went over to a rock shop.  I have always loved rocks.  I have joined the local gem and mineral society where I have learned some lapidary tricks.  But I am not into buying rocks.  I like to find them, then make them pretty.  But I always like to look.  And I am always on the prowl...

I did laundry today.  We have only been gone for  days, and we had two full loads - and that is with both Crew and Spouse wearing the same clothes day after day.  How can this happen?  Oh well, we are good for a while.

 Our evening ends when a little black cat showed up.  Spouse said she was feral.  I went outside and she ran up to me purring and meowing.  Needless to say, we fed her some lunchmeat and gave her lots of attention.  Last I saw, she was sitting on Spouse's lap while he is reading.

Not sure when I will have internet access next as we are unsure of things from this point on.  But I will be sure to keep track of our travails.

 

June 23, 2013 Has anybody seen my keys?

I put them in my waist pack.  I thoroughly check each pocket.  But maybe I transferred them to my purse.  I check each zipper.  Are they in my shorts?  No... hmmm, maybe they fell on the floor of the truck... no...  let me check my waist pack again.  No, my purse?  No... check every drawer and all over every floor... no.  Spouse, do you have my keys?  no....  Let me check his pockets... no.    Check the waist pack again, they have to be there.  No... my purse one more time... no.  Maybe they fell in my shoes?  no... check the waist pack one more time... Yes!  How can that be?  Oh well...

 After my morning walk, we readied Hannah for departure.  Off to Bryce we go.  Up I15 to 14 east.  We are shifting from high desert to mountain terrain.  As we climb 14 we are in full pine country, passing Brian Head ski area.  We stopped at a scenic overlook and it was only 58 degrees!  We ultimately worked our way over to 89.  Here, a creek meanders through the scenic meadows with the red rock mountains as a back drop.  And Crew enjoys the countryside...

 

Our destination is Ruby's campground right outside of Bryce.  We made reservations and got one of the last spaces available, which is not in the most desireable spot.  It kind of sucks in that it is in a dusty area.  The weather is beautiful, a little on the cool side, so it feels good to leave the windows open.  But if anybody drives by, I expect the dust to invade Hannah.  And since a rodeo is coming to town, I suspect there will be lots of dusty traffic gong by.  We will only be here 2 nights, so I am sure we can tough it out with minimal crankiness.

 We took Crew to all the scenic turnouts in Bryce.  The visibility is at least a million miles and the red rock formations are beyond stunning.  We had a raven at one spot that let us get right up to him.  I am sure he (or she) is quite used to us tourists.   But since Crew was a little sore from yesterday's hike, we cut him some slack and didn't make him walk much today.   Tomorrow... well that is another thing!

 

 

Notice they never change their shorts?  After our hike tomorrow, I think I will do some laundry and get the stink off those shorts if I have to rip them off myself!

6/22/13 Why do Angels need to land so high?

June 22, 2013

 Today was set aside for a hike in Zion National Park.  After reading about the hikes, I decided we should do 'Angel's Landing'.  In the guide, they said two 'must hikes' are the Narrows (which we did last time we were here) and Angel's Landing.  So, I made a sandwich for Crew and me while Spouse gathered whatever he was going to eat on the trail.  Off we go. 

 We both had forgotten that we take a shuttle from trailhead to trailhead so we got our backpacks together and Spouse (Mr. Never-Leaves-The-House-WIthout-A-GPS) says he can't put his food in a backpack because it has to stay in the icechest.  What?  He knows we are hiking and he brought food that he couldn't take on a hike?  HELLLOOOOOO?  Is there anybody home?  We had an extra apple and that would have to do.  Good thing he had a big breakfast.

We leave the shuttle, cross over the Virgin River and head up the trail.  It starts off on soft red dirt, and as we climb, it becomes a roughly paved trail.  And it gets steep.  And there are switchbacks.  Steep switchbacks.  And the sun is shining.  We stop when there is shade to let our hearts slow down, then we climb.  After about a mile, we turn a corner and the trail levels out.  To our right there is a sheer wall going up hundreds of feet bringing some much appreciated shade.  To our left is a dry creek bed dotted with sycamores, oaks and pines.  The sunlight is bouncing off the wall on the other side of the creek bed creating a beautiful dappling of the leaves. 

After about a quarter mile. we turn another corner and the switchbacks begin again.  This time they are shorter and steeper.  And our hearts are pounding.  We climb, we rest.  We climb, we rest.  We finally get to the last leg of the hike.

From here, we need to climb over rocks, while hanging on to a heavy metal chain as we hang on the side of cliffs only 1400 feet high.  At some points, the actual footing of the trail is only about 3 feet wide so you can enjoy the view from both sides of the trail.  Be careful of those sandy areas as they can be slippery!  People are going both ways so you have to be careful as there are not many areas where you can step aside to let somebody pass.  After about a mile of cliff climbing, we reach the top of Angels Landing.  (Why they can't land a little lower down is beyond me!).  Once at the top, it is a secure rocky footing about 10 feet wide so it was not too difficult.  The views were spectacular and the sounds from the gentle winds were comforting.

But... then we had to go back down.  It is much easier not to look down when you are climbing up.  When you are climbing down, it is pretty hard to avoid looking down!  We went slow.  Sometimes I used my butt to scooch down.   Other times, I had to turn to weird angles to position my feet while using the chain to hold me from going forward.  But, we finally made it back to the dreaded switchbacks.  Going down steep switchbacks uses all sorts of different muscles.  And it is not easy NOT cramming your toes in your shoes.  When Spouse stopped for a rest, Crew and I continued on.  We waited a few times for Spouse but as we got to the bottom and saw a short trail to the Virgin River. we took the 30 foot trail and got wet.  We watched for Spouse but missed him.  So we made our way back to the shuttle to listen to Spouse grumble at our faux pas.

We actually considered doing a short hike on the narrows, but it would be at least a mile before we got to the water, so it would have to be about a three mile hike after our nearly 6 mile strenuous hike and we came to our senses.  After Spouse ate his snack, we made our way back to Hannah.

And now we start plotting our future.

 

 

 
 

 

Note:  They are still both wearing the same shorts.

6/21/2013 - O-Boy

June 21, 2013  O-Boy

 

It is a little discussed medical fact.  Males are born with a gland called the 'obnoxia' gland.  It secretes various levels of obnoxium...  Crew's functions at a very high level...

 'Oblivious' is another O word.  It essentially means that one is clueless as to one's surroundings.

So, when an obnoxious male is also oblivious, you get Double-O Crew!

Late yesterday, Crew decided to go to a movie.   Spouse told him the theater was on the main street right past the Dairy Queen.  First of all, Crew knows Spouse is not always perfect with his directions.  Second, he is in an unfamiliar town, so one would think he would actually open his eyes.  We get a call about 30 minutes later from Crew asking where the theater is.  Spouse tells him to go to Dairy Queen and look around, as it is right across the street...

 Later that evening, Spouse and I decide to walk to Dairy Queen, thinking we might meet up with Crew on the way, which we did.  As it turns out... the theater is just THIS side of Dairy Queen, which should have been obvious since the theater Marquis is about the size of Texas and practically knocks you on the head when you walk by!  Oblivious?  You betcha!

 On our walk home, we could smell Crew so we asked if he was using deodorant.  He said no.  We said to get some right away, and he felt if he couldn't smell himself, it wouldn't be a problem.  Oh no, he was not coming back into Hannah without deodorant...  Obnoxious?  You betcha!

Double O-Crew...  5+ weeks more?  Kill me now!

 This morning, golf at Sky Mountain was on the agenda for Spouse and me.  Crew would have to somehow entertain himself.  It was a beautiful morning, and it never got too hot all day long.  A light breeze kept it very comfortable.  Sky Mountain golf course is one of the most beautiful courses we have played.  Red rock canyons, mesas and buttes surround the course.  The course is not too difficult as long as you hit the ball straight.  I hadn't played golf in 3 weeks and I was pretty rusty but I kept myself out of trouble for the most part and shot a 98 (one stroke better than the last time I played!).  Spouse shot a 120.  Roadrunners cruise the course keeping us safe from snakes.  They really are very cute. 

Came back, showered and enjoyed the 19th hole outside Hannah in the shade.  took a nap and when I awoke, the world as I knew it changed.  I packed some of my homemade veggie chili that I had frozen... or so I thought.  I was really looking forward to it.  I got the package out and looked at the contents... It wasn't my chili, but some freeze packed salmon!  WTF?  Spouse had taken the zip lock bag from my chili out of the trash at some point back home, to pack the salmon!  He is so friggin cheap that he dug a bag out of the trash! (I take the time and label bags for the freezer, and Spouse doesn't give a darn about things like that)   I had counted on having some of my chili along the road and I had been stabbed in the back by my own spouse!  I was beyond livid.  I went out to dinner ALONE, and bought the stuff to make a mini batch of chili.  And I won't share and I will make his life miserable forever more...

Happy  summer!

 

 

 

June 20, 2013

 

We're leaving Las Vegas - sounds like a Sherrill Crow song...

 

Let me give you a general idea of what our road trip plans are.  We are going up I15 to Zion, then Bryce.  We actually have reservations for these two places.  At Bryce, they told us we were lucky to get a spot as they are totally booking up.  Sounds a little scary as we have no other reservations because we are not sure when we are going to be where!  We intend to go to Yellowstone, but will we come in from the Wyoming side?  or will we come in from Idaho?  Where will we park ourselves for the 4th of July weekend?  We will probably head up through Montana into Canada.  We hope to make it as far as Banff, but who knows.   Then we will turn around and maybe head to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  Then we will make our way home, maybe through Oregon.  So, as you can see, once we leave Bryce, we have very little idea of what we will actually do!  Maybe we will try rafting the Snake River?

 

Anyhow, Las Vegas has got to be the most boring place for me to power walk.  Nobody smiles.  But, I did the deed, showered the casino stink off of me, and we readied Hannah for departure.  Crew and Spouse are wearing the exact same shorts.  Hope I don't get them confused!

 

We head north on I15 (very boring)  and as we near Mesquite, Spouse sees the billboard for a $3.99 ham steak and egg special.  Off we go... I go into Hannah to change into some clothes that won't bother me if they get smoky and what do I see...  our dining room table is tipped over.  One day into our trip and Spouse has a repair to do!  Ugh... I ran through the smoky casino to the restaurant so I wouldn't stink up.  We all pigged out and ran back to Hannah.  I don't wanna ever eat again...

 

Speaking of eating, I have essentially been a vegetarian for the last year and a half.  Crew - the carnivore - will get a few lessons in eating meatless meals...  Tonite he had a chipotle burger made out of black beans and such.  He actually liked it.  Not as much as meat but he was ok with it.

 

We are staying in the town of Hurricane, which is right outside Zion national park.  We have a beautiful spot with mature trees and a nice breeze.  I now actually feel like I am on vacation.  The vodka tonic is back in my sights.  Spouse fixed the table and now we can proceed in a disorderly fashion!

 

Tomorrow, Spouse and I will play golf at Sky Mountain Golf Course while Crew somehow entertains himself.

 

Here are a couple of pix of Crew enjoying the Nevada countryside...

Love the shorts...

 

 

 

June 19, 2013

 

On the road again...  Come along for the ride.

 

Life is a journey, and I am constantly amazed how much I learn about myself as I travel through.  This year, Spouse and I decided to take our nephew Crew on a road trip.  These are places we would NOT normally go during the summer months, but because this is the last summer that Crew will be a kid, we decided to forgo our normal ideology about road trips, and make some memories for him.

 

I remember when I was a kid, and itty bitty kid at that, I dreamed of going to far away places.  My mom did her best, giving that she was a divorced mother of three with absolutely no money.  She took us to San Diego, San Francisco and to Crestline (up near Lake Arrowhead).  But those were all in California.  I wanted more.  When I was 15, my friend Nancy Jenks invited me on a road trip with her family.  Her brother wasn't going so I would take his place.  We went up the coast all the way to Vancouver, then east ending up at Mt. Rushmore, then west heading home.  I not only had several states to my credit, but another country in Canada!  The monster had been unleashed.

 

At that time,  I vowed to myself that I would see all four corners of the earth by the time I was 30.  Ok, the earth is round, but I was going to have multiple continents under my belt by 30, which I did, and I kept on going!  I once told Crew that I had been in all 50 states, and he thought that was pretty cool.  Given his less than ideal childhood, both Spouse and I figured we would send him off into adulthood with some exposure, experiences and memories that we hope will last through his lifetime.

 

I am pretty sure he would rather forget his first memories of this trip and that is him having to wash Hannah and help get her ready to go!  But he did the deed and we set off for the first leg of our journey; on to Las Vegas.

 

Spouse knows how to take a 5 hour drive and make it a 7 hour drive!  'We have more time than money' is his motto, so the speedometer is set at 60 and off we crawl.  Yes, we are towing so the speed limit is only 55 IN CALIFORNIA.  And we have to eat.  And he has to stop because he forgot to lock the bikes.  And he has to pee.

 

We get to Las Vegas and set up camp at Circus Circus which has a KOA campground.  We smuggle Crew in as they want $25 for additional people!  Really?

 

We then start to show him the sights.  He saw the aquarium at Mirage, the glass ceiling at Bellagio as well as the water dances,  he rode the roller coaster at New York New York.  He went to Paris.  He saw the animatronic statues at Caesars.   He saw lots of scantily clothed women, and street entertainers.  He was quite impressed with Wonder Woman's costume...  He loved the energy of the night as well as the crowds (which I could totally do without!).  But it was fun to see him soak it all in.

 

We took him to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner.  Although he knew of the restaurant, he never figured he would like it as it had 'cheese' in the title so everything must be smothered in cheese...  He needs some eyes to open!