Moving the Taylors to Iowa

Most of you have kept up on Facebook as the adventure unraveled, but here is my official version of the road trip that could be dubbed "The Taylor/Beach/Thomas Cross Country U-haul-a thon."

First, Matt Taylor's company, Expander, decided that it made more sense to manufacture its product near the Mississippi River shipping channel than in Arizona, far from adequate shipping facilities. Then, they (Expander) asked Matt to move with them. Well, good jobs being hard to come by just now, he said yes. Therefore, Vada and the kids needed to move to Iowa. Matt needed to be in Iowa ahead of the family for many reasons, so they needed someone to drive the U-haul, since Vada needed to drive the family van. As you all know, I am not just a professional driver, but also an eager road tripper.

So, here is how it worked out. A 16 foot U-haul truck was loaded with household goods. There was overflow. So a small U-haul trailer was needed. A pickup also needed to be moved, so it was put on a trailer specifically designed for vehicle hauling. So, the caravan looked like this: 16 foot U-haul truck pulling the vehicle trailer, Margie and Dave's truck pulling the overflow U-haul trailer, and Vada driving the family van. Four adults and four children ages 6-12. One child, on a rotational basis, rode with me in the U-haul, one with M&D in the pickup, and two with Vada in the van. Every time we stopped for gas, food, or potty break, the kids rotated.

The kids were great travelers. We talked a lot. We played lots of road trip games. They read. They colored. They wrote. They played video games. They looked out the window. They did not whine. They did not incessantly ask "Are we there yet?"

Things to know for next time: A 16 foot truck is too short to pull a vehicle carrier carrying a 4000 pound pickup. Wind gusts, passing semis, and uneven road surfaces can cause the trailer to sway. When the trailer sways, the leverage created by the hitch causes the truck to sway. That can cause the driver to lose control, and end up crashing. I determined from experience that 65 mph was the top safe speed for the prevention of catastrophe. Also, at every stop, it is a good idea to inspect everything. Tie-down straps mysteriously become loose, tires can lose air, safety chains start to drag, tarps flap, and wires short out. Going through Albuquerque at rush hour is not a good time or place to have a tie-down come off and let the pull-out drive-on ramp slide out and drag on the road. It makes a spectacular sparks display, but then you have to find a safe place to pull over and fix it.

If you ever notice that your remote door locks don't work, at the same time that your intermittent wiper function won't work, and you head lights don't come on, the solution might be to disconnect your battery for a few minutes, then reconnect it. This is similar to rebooting your computer. In fact, it reboots the vehicle computer which fixes all those unrelated malfunctions. We learned this in a small Nebraska town after an hour of trying logical trouble-shooting ideas.

Driving 1600 miles in three vehicles, one a gas hog, and meeting bathroom and food needs of 8 people takes 4 1/2 days at a top speed of 65 mph. Returning in one vehicle with three adults at 75 mph takes 2 1/2 days.

There are many good family run restaurants between here and there. Fast food and chain restaurants are best avoided. Best Western Plus serves a good hot breakfast including eggs and meat at no extra charge. Gas prices ranged from $1.99 to $2.49. Sometimes stations in the same town varied by 20 cents.

We spent one night in Dodge City just so we could get up in the morning and say, "We better get outa Dodge." We passed through the home towns of John Wayne, Herbert Hoover, William Allen White, Thomas Mitchell, Jesse James and Elizabeth Bice Thomas. We traveled along the Oregon Trail, The Santa Fe Trail, the Pony Express Route, and visited areas previously inhabited by the likes of the Dalton Gang and Billy the Kid.

I am available for future adventures. I work for food and shelter.

Happy Birthday, Tomoko

We won't mention age.
We are excited that you are willing to share your "boys" for a few days. We are leaving for the airport right after this is posted. We are ready for some loud fun and early wake-ups.

Happy Birthday, Casey

We celebrated with Casey and a dozen of her friends on Saturday. She had a Bingo themed party which we attended, then spent the night. I won a couple of games, Casey won some, and Peggie cleaned up at LCR at the end. So, aside from money spent by all three of us getting to and setting up for this party, we all made money. Cool.
Casey has always made friends with people we like.

To Write, or Not to Write...

That is the question.
Do you wait until an "adventure" happens? Or just report the humdrum?
Thanksgiving happened.
I like Thanksgiving. More food than anyone really 'needs' to eat. And good food.
I am a traditionalist. I like the foods I grew up with. Our family has kept with the basics: turkey, ham, yams, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, fruit salad, and, most important, pies. Lots of pies. Pumpkin, cherry, apple, and pecan.
The fruit salad is my mother's recipe (some variations are called "ambrosia") of apples, pineapple, banana, walnuts, and mini-marshmallows in whipped cream. Not Cool Whip! Cream, whipped with an electric mixer. We have adapted over the years, we have both canned yams in brown sugar and marshmallows and fresh baked yams. We have cooked-in-the-cavity stuffing and "dry" baked dressing. We have the cream of mushroom, canned onion green bean casserole, and fresh green beans. We have cranberry jelly from the can and fresh cranberries. We now serve some fruit salad without the whipped cream. We have white and wheat rolls.
Best of all, no matter how many family members and friends show up, leftovers. Plenty of leftovers.
Still, part of the current tradition means that on Black Friday, all the women go shopping in Jerome while the men babysit. And Bill cooks chili for dinner. We get honest-to-goodness tortillas from a local market. I don't actually follow a recipe, so the chili isn't consistent from year to year. Sometimes spicy, sometimes not. Sometimes red, sometimes green. Usually I make cornbread, this year I got tamales from the tortilla store.
However, change is coming. My niece, the pie baker, is moving to Iowa. Iowa! We still don't know what will be done for pies next year. And hers are the young kids that need a sitter. The older kids are fine alone.
I hope I don't have to spend Black Friday shopping next year.

Another reminder

This past week three quarters of the country was experiencing all-time record breaking cold and snowfall while we were basking (literally, basking) in unseasonable warmth. Reminding us, once again, why we still call The Old Pueblo home.

Peggie gathered all of her post-surgery energy to attend the reception for the opening of "Journeys," the SAQA show at JCC.  She has four pieces hanging, one of which won "Honorable Mention." She was very pleased at the juror's comments on her work. And, looking at the rest of the show, she is in good company. The reception was well attended and several people sought her out to congratulate her and to praise her work.

Happy Halloween

Halloween is always either too hot or too cold for trick-or-treating. October is always one of our most pleasant months, weatherwise, but by the end it either hasn't cooled off yet, or it has gotten downright cold. That's the way I remember our kids' trick-or-treating years. I bet a search of the weather archives would not support those statements. I bet Halloween is mostly a nice evening for ringing door bells in costume. This year certainly is.

While it hit 90 today, it is partly cloudy and pretty pleasant. However, by Sunday we will be in the low 70's. In the mountains, it will dip below freezing at night. So, with that in mind, yesterday we headed to Eagar to retrieve our trailer before the pipes freeze. We decided to take the long way, ie 191 from Safford to Alpine. It is a fine road when you have the time to enjoy the spectacular scenery as you wind your way from 4000' to over 9000'. It is deer season and every piece of level ground has a camp set up. We were driving through mid-morning, so everyone was in camp and the traffic was light. We even saw a group of 10 or so does and fawns grazing by the road. I guess nobody has been shooting at them, they didn't run far when we slowed to look. The forest still shows the effects of the Willow Fire, but for us, the open vistas it created add to the beauty of the mountains.

We had a beautiful orange sunset as we dropped into Salt River Canyon, but it was dark before we reached Globe. Too bad, as we like the views from Pinal Mountain and Dripping Springs. Last time we came that route at night we had numerous close encounters with skunks. This time we got a whiff, but no glimpses.

It was an enjoyable adventure-less trip. I found that I really can unhitch successfully in the dark.
Maybe next time I will try it with my eyes actually closed.

Oh, and we can recommend the burgers at Trailriders restaurant in Eagar. In front of Basha's. They use nearly half a pound of good Angus beef. We have had several meals there and the food and service is always good.

Ironic

Funny that in the last post I mentioned "cheaper than going to a movie," because that is exactly what I did last Thursday, instead of watching the solar eclipse for free. If you've seen one solar eclipse, you've seen them all, right? Anyway, I don't have safe sun-viewing goggles.

The cloud cover prevented us from sitting in the hot tub watching the Orionid meteor shower, but they (the clouds) made for a couple of beautiful sunsets that came just as I was burning meat on the grill last week.

Gotta brag on Peggie a bit. She submitted four pieces to a juried show called "Journeys" to be mounted at the JCC next month. They only had room for 35 pieces, and all four of hers made the cut.
We are very excited. This is her first juried show. To see pictures of the pieces, contact Peggie.

We are also excited for our niece. She and her family are moving to Iowa for a job offer that is too good to pass up. This will be a great adventure for them. We will miss seeing them as often as we have so far. But, we enjoyed the adventure when we moved far from home and family, and we hope they will, too. And since we intend to drive to New York several times, it will be nice to be able to stop at their place on the way.

No Reason to Get Excited...

A comet makes a close (87,000 miles) approach to Mars today.
How does it affect our lives? Not at all. Most of the world's population will not know it happened. And their lives will be no better or worse for it.
So, why is it interesting?
Well, it is quite literally a once-in-a-lifetime event. Maybe once in the entire human life span.
We humans take a great deal of interest in such events. Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, floods, avalanches, and any other natural event of large proportion, even if, as is often the case, we only know of it because of the news coverage. If not for news coverage, I would not now be aware of the Ebola outbreak. I only know Mars is there because I read. How many people on Earth never heard of Mars? Wouldn't know a comet if it smacked into their house?
But it is fascinating. I watched live streaming from a South African observatory. See, even if I had a large enough telescope at my house, I couldn't have seen it from here.
So here is the thing: We (humans) have several satellites, rovers, and telescopes that can be tuned to watch this event. First time in history this could be done.
I have read several accounts and watched several videos about this comet. It is somewhere between .5 and 5 miles in diameter. Hopefully, after all these instruments watch it, someone will get an accurate assessment of its size. Why? Because if it, or another one later, were to hit Earth, the difference is significant. Half a mile? Tungusta, Siberia, 1908. Devastation over a few square miles. Depending on where it hit Earth, maximum death toll, 10,000,000. A large number. Insignificant compared to world population of 7 billion. Five miles across. Yucatan, 65,000,000 years ago. Totally changed the climatic conditions of the entire planet. Likely death toll, everyone.
So it is interesting as an event for which it would be wise to be prepared. Right now, if this were aimed at us, all we could do is hope for the half mile size, and take comfort in knowing that it is statistically likely to hit unoccupied ocean.
So, anyway, I find it interesting. It left the Oort Cloud, another thing I don't need to know about, maybe a million years ago. It has been falling, unimpeded, into the Sun's gravitational pull all that time. Now, Mars, a relatively small, insignificant hunk of rock will totally change its trajectory, sending it back toward deep space. Mathematicians are now calculating the odds that these two objects would have interacted. Then they will calculate how far the comet will be flung before it once again succumbs to the Sun's gravity. Or, if its encounter with Mars will tear it to pieces. Or, whatever.
And you and I will live our lives the same. Regardless.
But this is as much fun as going to a movie. And costs less.

To Montana and Back Again

Grandchildren exert a powerful draw. The opportunity to babysit was too good to pass up. Originally it was going to be T and j. T would rehearse and perform, and we would take care of j. Then, it got even better, as G and a  arranged to join the party. So we loaded the truck and set out for Bozeman, MT, a place we had never been. Which, for us, is just one more reason to go.

We left reasonably early on Sunday with the goal of reaching Cedar City, UT for the first night's stay. The first surprise came at the junction of 89 and 89a near Page. The road (89) to Page was still closed due to the massive rock slide that I had forgotten about. So, we happily took the slightly longer route over the Kaibab Plateau. Along the way we had been treated to some beautiful fall colors, which continued to impress us as we entered the canyon north of Kanab. But the real autumn treat was route 14 to Cedar City. Every shade of yellow, gold, orange, and red alongside the evergreens and the multi-hued sandstone. And, to make it perfect, a deer in the road and a herd of elk in the woods.

Next morning we hit I-15 and headed north. The speed limit along the rural stretches is 80 mph. Apparently, that is fast enough for everybody, because with cruise control set at 80, nobody passed us. We saw beaucoup pronghorns (aka antelope) in the fields and rangeland all day. We also saw a school bus sailing along at high speed on a road parallel to the highway, but invisible due to the high grasses. It was weird. We took a scenic detour around SLC just for the fun of it, and got more beautiful fall color in the scenic canyons. But we missed a turn and ended up catching I-15 again in downtown SLC. Still, we arrived in Idaho Falls before dark and checked in to a hotel. It was right on the Snake River, which has a beautiful walking park along the namesake falls. We walked to a dinner place and back, arriving just after dark. After driving all day, a nice walk is perfect.

The plan for Tuesday was to arrive in Bozeman around 1:00pm. But we decided to detour through Yellowstone since it was so close. I have my old farts' card (aka Senior Pass) which gets us into national parks for free. Peggie also got one at the entrance, since she, too, is now old enough to qualify. In the park, we saw only bison as far as wildlife is concerned, but we stopped to walk around a hot spot called Artists' Paint Pots. Again, a nice walk, and, of course the name comes from all the mineral colors surrounding the bubbling waters. Exiting to the north, we encountered a construction zone that held us up for a while. We were having a nice conversation with the flag person about the strange people one encounters when a women from several cars back in line walked up and asked, "What's going on?" To which the flag person replied, "Just a little road construction." The young women countered with, "But they're telling everyone the road is open." The flag person informed her that the road was, indeed, open, but there would be a few minutes delay. The woman returned to her car. Where do people come from, who don't know what a construction delay is?

We exited the park at Gardiner (north exit) and caught the interstate at Livingston. West of Livingstone there are several domestic bison herds in pastures. Also taking advantage of the green fields along there were elk, deer, and pronghorn herds. Not domesticated.
So, we arrived in Bozeman about 5:30, much to a's chagrin. She wanted to see us at 1:00. Little j doesn't know the difference, so he was standoffish, anyway.

Wanting to be good grandparents, we had several child-friendly outings planned for our days in Bozeman. We tried to go to Lewis and Clark Caverns about 40 miles west but the caverns were closed for the winter. So we headed back with two sleeping children in the truck with nothing to show for the drive except learning that there is a breed of cow called a Red Angus. Who knew?
We decided to go east of Bozeman a few miles to the Montana Grizzly Encounter. It was a tacky little roadside attraction based on the owners' attempt to rescue grizzly bears from bad situations and to use them to educate the public. We observed four bears and heard all about the grizzly. They have an enclosure that is woefully small for bears, but large and natural enough that it is more like the Desert Museum than like other zoos. We got the idea they do the best they can with good intentions and limited funds.

Friday night, I got to go to the performance called "Wine, Women and Song." T played piano for a pair of sopranos and the audience tasted wines from Italy, Germany, and America, as music from those areas was performed. The setting was a private home on the edge of town. Very wealthy patrons of the arts.

Next day, we took the kids and G to the Museum of the Rockies. There, we learned about dinosaurs. That was a fun time for all of us. Even j found things to hold his interest. In case you didn't know, some of the dinosaurs were VERY BIG! That night, G and a and Peggie went to the performance while I sat with j. He was still being standoffish, but as soon as we were alone, he cozied up just fine. We played cars and watched cartoons.

On Sunday, all of us headed for Yellowstone. At one point, we pulled off the road to check out what Peggie thought might be a bighorn sheep on the rocks. Instead, there was a meandering stream of beaver dams. I went back to get a out of the car so she could see them and T was pointing out a moose down there. The moose eventually got spooked and hid in the willows. But it was a good sighting. We couldn't see the possible sheep any more. Inside the park, we saw bison several times. Then we waited for Old Faithful to blow. Just as it started, a spotted a chipmunk and became so fascinated, that she almost missed the show. Afterward, we went inside Old Faithful Lodge and were awed by the architecture of the lobby area. Can't describe it. You have to go see it.

On the way back home, we saw a grizzly in the wild, elk, and deer. We also got the traditional bison walking sedately in the road causing a traffic jam.  At this time, a was riding with us and as it got dark she suggested we count roadside crosses. She rode with us part of the way down and we had explained to her about playing "cows" on road trips as kids. We had also explained to her the purpose of the white crosses by the road. There were a lot of them. We surmised that the combination of narrow winding road, skiers heading home, and deer crossing the road, contributed to making this a deadly stretch. Anyway, it was getting dark and she needed something to keep her interest, so we counted crosses. When it became apparent that, as driver, I had the advantage, I was banned from playing. So Peggie gave her a five cross handicap, and they played. It is a macabre thing to make a game of, but it kept a awake.

Monday, GajT had to leave at 8:30 to catch a plane, so Peggie and I stayed to clean the condo we were in. We got on the road at about noon. We had heard that the area around Missoula was pretty, so we headed over there on I-90. Right away we saw a bald eagle on a utility pole. Then we decided to take some scenic red roads and we were rewarded with sightings of turkeys, pronghorns, elk, and deer.

Leaving Missoula on Tuesday, we headed south on US 93. We saw elk and lots and lots of pronghorns. We had just remarked to each other that we never see antelope crossing the road, when coming around a hill, we had to brake to avoid hitting four antelope crossing the road. We drove over the continental divide into Idaho and spent the night in Hailey, just south of the Sun Valley ski area. The next day, going back to Cedar City, was our only driving day with no wildlife sightings.

We made it home Thursday night after stopping for dinner with Casey and her roommate, Laura in Tempe. We saw one deer outside Kanab, enjoyed the colors on route 14 again (they were beyond spectacular) and amid all the warning signs on I-17 south of Flagstaff, spotted a herd of elk just before dropping into Verde Valley. Sorry, family, by then we were ready to be home in our own bed.

This was a fun trip. We got some good time with GajT, and heard T perform, which is always a treat. The scenery was spectacular with mountains, canyons and fall colors and wildlife was abundant. Roads in MT and ID tend to follow rivers, so plenty of running water. And farmland. Lots and lots of farmland. Hay, wheat, potatoes, corn and cows. The area appears prosperous. Bozeman is a beautiful city. And we had no mis-adventures of the mechanical kind. Though we had to brake once for antelope and twice for deer in the road, we didn't hit anything. Not even the sedate bison who made us go around him in the other lane.

Barely settled, off again

Tomorrow we will leave for Bozeman, MT. We have not been there before, but the attraction is grandchildren. Originally, we were to babysit Julian while Tomoko rehearsed and performed. That is still the plan, but Greg and Ariana are also coming, so we get to see everybody. We will drive for two and a half days, spend five and a half with family, then find an interesting way to drive home. Perhaps Yellowstone will be open.
Then we will settle in for the winter. Mostly. No travel plans, but travel intentions.
Peggie has been hustling this week to get entered into an art show in December. That's done. Good luck to her.
I have almost caught up on back issues of all the magazines I get. No wonder I slept eleven hours last night.

Autumnal Equinox

Fall officially started last night at 10:29. In Skagway and Yukon the trees began celebrating early. In Tucson the thermometer didn't get the memo. Tomorrow there is a chance we will hit 100. That will be okay, since we were here over the summer and experienced some real heat.
The trip home was exhausting, because it was too long.
On the six hour ferry ride from Skagway to Juneau we got a pretty good whale viewing, with lots of fins and flukes splashing. The wind and rain kept us inside the entire time, though.
Next morning (Sat), we were at the airport at 5:30 for a 7:10 flight expecting long lines and delays at check-in and TSA. We were early enough to avoid any waits. But one of the bags was overweight and cost an extra $50. We had packed too carefully to be able to re-arrange stuff. Somehow our seat assignments were changed and we ended up in center seats. I changed with a guy and got the window next to Peggie, but she had a seat hog next to her on the aisle. That makes for a long flight to Seattle with a stay-aboard stop in Ketchikan. At Seattle we had to change airlines, which made for a long distance terminal change. Even with trains and moving sidewalks, it was a long trek.
The flight to Denver was less full, but we again had seat assignment changes and rode six rows apart. There is some interesting landscape between Seattle and Denver. Three wild fires are burning in Washingtion, Wyoming, and Colorado. We landed in Denver with the sunset. Had to change planes again. To a tiny one. Had to check carry-on because there is limited overhead storage. But we got to sit together. Much cloud cover and darkness on the last leg to Tucson, I got so confused about where we were that I initially thought Casa Grande was Albuquerque. At Tucson, our assigned gate was occupied, so we drove around for a while. Really. Like at a mall looking for parking. Isn't there somebody the pilots could talk to who knows of an opening? Apparently. After fifteen minutes we moved into a gate right next to our original one.
The Arizona Stagecoach driver who brought us home was great. He carried bags right into the house. I tipped him well. After 9:00. Looonng day.
Next morning, as we unpacked, we noticed TSA had opened and inspected two of our checked bags. One of them contained a bottle of gin, which they unwrapped, then rewrapped. They did not make a mess of anything, and they resealed everything.
Today, Peggie got a welcome-home massage, and I got a return-to-civilization haircut.
Last winter we spent time and money on our bathroom. Now, we really appreciate it.

Leaving Skagway. ..Again

There are four more days with cruise ships, but we are going home today. We catch the ferry to Juneau, spend the night, then fly to Tucson tomorrow.
The wind is blowing hard today and it rained all night. So, good time to leave.
The fall colors have been fantastic, but the peak has passed.
Only 76 black bears, but 19 browns, 4 caribou, and 7 moose.
The salmon run was terrible. The rain was four times normal.
We had two noticeable earthquakes, and a sunken ferry dock. Lately, two bears, one black, and one brown, have been seen in town. The first deer ever was photographed in town. We had a major mudslide on the highway and a minor derailment on the railroad.
But the most memorable experience of the season was Casey's visit.

no lights

I had the day off today, the prediction for northern lights last night was high, there was some open sky, so we got a jeep and drove 60 miles north to see the light show.
Didn't happen.
The moon was bright and made the clouds pretty, the big dipper was big, but it was cooold. We gave up after one a.m.and headed home. Nearer the border there was thick fog. We had to drive so slow we didn't get home until three.
The forecast still looks good, but I can't stay up two nights in a row, plus tomorrow I have to work.
Oh well.
Next week at this time we will be home.

busman's holiday

This year we have not been driving as much because we have to check out a jeep, not having our own vehicle. But now that fall colors are getting prettier, we decided to take a drive north for a look. It was raining steadily in Skagway as we left. At Carcross we took a snack and bathroom break and the rain stopped. We decided to see Marsh Lake which meant driving across the Tagish road for the first time in a year. Then we went West on the Alaska Highway for the first time ever. We had driven East on that stretch twice, but never West. Marsh Lake is bigger than we remembered and there is a dam on the river we were unaware of. I looked it up and found that it is pretty useless now. Anyway, we wound up making a loop and returning via the more familiar Whitehorse road.
No animals, but lots of beauty.

labor day

September is off to a wet start. It has been rainy for some time now, as expected in the rainy season. Peggie is back from Tucson so she rode with me to see the fall colors. This month we will see all the trees change and drop their leaves. It rained every minute and every mile (and kilometer) from start to finish. When there was a break in the clouds, we could see the"termination dust" on the mountains. In town the snow level was about 6000 feet, but up north it was nearer 3000 feet.
As I am writing this, the sky has partly cleared, the temp is about 52 and we are hunkered down for the night.

It Is A New Record

The old record of seven bears in one day stood for six years. But records are made to be broken.
Today is a beautiful day in Skagway. The kind you just want to get out and see something. So, even though I had only two booked on a tour, I was eager to get out. It was beautiful in every way, but then a bear walked across the road. Perfect. I had plenty of time to stop. By the time I did, she was joined by two scampering cubs. Across the road, she stopped for a snack. The cubs were both curious and nervous about the bus.I decided to move forward, so checked my mirror, and a third cub crossed the road behind us. They didn't hang around long, but the passengers were able to get photos.
Later, on the return trip, we spotted a vehicle with active flashers on the road. Good sign. I put on my own flashers and slowed down. Voila! Bears on rocks. Three cubs. Mama in the ditch.
These bears were about 200 yards from the other bears.
According to the rule book, any wildlife sighting while traveling in the opposite direction from any earlier sighting, shall be deemed a new sighting. So by the book, we didn't see the same bear family twice, we had two separate, but similar sightings.
Eight is the new record.
Ref: Bill's Official Rules of Wildlife Sightings

happy birthday to me

Internet access was intermittent all day yesterday. We were finally able to Skype with GajT, got a call from Casey, went out for breakfast, did laundry, and Peggie prepared a wonderful dinner with salmon from friends in Sitka. A good birthday. Now I am caught up with my siblings, who all get older before I do.

happy birthday, Patty

Today is my cousin Patty's birthday. She is 6 days older than me. We were both born in the same hospital room. She and her mother, Aunt Jean, left the room as my mother came in. Hard to believe women used to stay in hospital for a week.
I hope she is well, where ever she is.

Check out the forecast this week. Rain, rain, rain, and then more rain. It has been drizzling all night. Not cold, though.

Peggie caught a sight last night. A seal was floating in the harbor and it pooped. When the seal noticed her, it seemed embarrassed to have been seen. Anthropormorphic, sure. But not many people have seen that, so who knows?

This year's salmon run in Skagway and Dyea is pathetic. I imagine the grizzly bears will suffer accordingly. The general consensus around here is that it will be a cold and long winter. If the bears don't fatten up, they'll die. That is nature's way. I can recognize at least nine bears in Dyea. More than usual. Maybe some have to die.

It is that time in the season

August.
Rainy season. No sun in the 10 day forecast. Flood advisory in effect. Must be time for some observations.
Disclaimer: being here, driving tours, meeting people, the scenery, are fantastic. But, there are some "unpleasant" aspects.
Not seeing wildlife for several days, crying or whining kids on a 6 hour tour, rude people, negative people, non-tippers. Someone vomits on the bus, mechanical breakdown, passengers who are turned back at customs. All that pales by comparison.
Last week we got a new winner in the category "Worst Experience for a Guide on a Tour."
Attempted suicide.
I know, this is bad for the attemptee. But my viewpoint is the driver. Things were already not good. A couple arguing loudly, disrupting the tour. In a foreign language. Somehow it is better when you can understand what the argument is about. But, anyway, the driver stops at the edge of a lake, and the woman announces her intention to die and begins swimming. The lake is big, deep, and very cold.
I heard this from the driver. I was shocked, and didn't think to ask questions. But now I wonder what I'd do. What is the best way to handle that?
In this instance, the husband dove in and brought her back.
Next time I'm cleaning up vomit, ....will I be thinking, "at least nobody tried to die?"

ARE WE HAVING FUN! !

Casey is here for 10 days. She has gone on two different tours with me, a tour with a coworker, a train ride, a canoe to a glacier on which she (and Peggie) hiked, a hike above town, and zip lining (with me). Last night and tonight all three of us went bear hunting in Dyea. We saw two last night and six tonight. On this trip she has ridden by plane, train, jeep, bus, ferry, canoe,  and dog sled. We have gone out listening to music twice. We teamed up for a cribbage tournament, and lost every game.
We are having fun!

back in Skagway

We are here.
Flights were fine, except Delta broke Peggie's new sewing machine travel case after we checked it at the gate in Seattle. We filed a claim, and the agent assured us they would reimburse us.
We rode the ferry from Juneau. Saw one bear, several eagles, a pod of porpoises and some spectacular waterfalls.
We arrived at our trailer to discover a gas leak. There was an earthquake on Friday which I blame for cracking the line.
The train derailed last week.
A coworker's car was wrecked (she wasn't in it).
This place can't get along without me for a week.
Casey has already met several people. There was a party at the boss's house, followed by dinner with other friends. She and Peggie will be busy with offers to participate in activities all over town.
A quick update on our ongoing heat pump problems: they agreed to replace it.

Happy Anniversary to us.

Still on the big number theme.
Forty four years.
We are still just a couple of crazy kids with no idea what we are doing. But it has worked out so far.

Jersey Boys was fantastic. I didn't know the Four Seasons had so many songs. And Frankie Valli still does 150 shows a year.

Happy (early) Birthday, Don

We will be traveling back to Skagway on the 27th and I didn't want to miss such a momentous day. 70
Seven-tee!! A seven followed by a zero. Years! Old!
Speaking of big numbers.....it is 105 degrees hot here today. Yesterday we were in Phoenix and we saw something we didn't want to see.....117 on the therm-o-meter.
So, we are going back today. Casey got tickets to see Jersey Boys. It will be a hot show, but in a good way.

Urban wildlife viewing

Sitting in the living room in Tucson.
Peggie sees a collared lizard on the garage wall. Big. Dark. Maybe a foot long from nose to tail. Nearly black on the tan wall. What is he doing? Why climb a wall? He freezes in place a third of the way up. Cocks his head to the left. A minute. Two. He speeds two feet further up. Freezes. Cocks his head to the left.
I am standing at the window. Movement catches my eye. The lantana is in bloom. Cheddar colored flowers cover the 20 or so square feet of the plant. Bees and other insects, small, quick, unidentifiable are buzzing all around. That isn't the movement that caught my eye. There. A fence lizard jumps to a new rock. Small. Lighter gray, perhaps four inches nose to tail. He does a push up. Is the rock to hot to touch the belly to? It is 8:00 a.m. His head moves side to side. Is he hunting the flying insects? Something else is there. On the rocks of the faux dry stream. It is a mourning dove. Still but for a blinking eye. I didn't see it fly in, so it has been there all along. The same color as the rocks. The shadow of the garage just shades it.
The collared lizard spins around, head down, but raised to look out over the yard. There is movement in the lantana. Flowers are bobbing back and forth. It is another fence lizard running across the blossoms. Smaller. Maybe three inches in length. It jumps onto the rocks. The sun touches the dove's head. It takes a step, looks around as if surprised into wakefulness. Flies away. The collared lizard on the wall dashes sideways to the corner by the street. Freezes. Head raised, cocked left. (down) The first fence lizard moves jerkily, jumping from one softball-sized rock to another. Under the shade of the plant. Rests. The second one moves quickly into the growth of another nearby plant. The collared lizard comes off the wall and runs around the corner out of sight.
Nothing to see here, folks. The excitement is over, move along. Okay. I go get a glass of water. Come back.
Check out the yard.
There is a smaller (8 inches) collared lizard on the rock where the first fence lizard first sat. He moves. Too quick to see. He takes a bite of a cheddar blossom. Another. Half the flower consumed. Quickly turns left. Two leaps and he is gone behind one of the bigger boulders.
The neighbors' cat walks languidly from under our truck, crosses the street to sit in the shade of a car there.
Urban wildlife on the small scale. Fifteen minutes well spent.

home again

We will be in Tucson next week. It will be HOT.
Oh well.
Yesterday it finally stopped raining after two weeks. It warmed right up to the 60's.
Today on tour we saw a very pretty blonde bear with three cute cubs. You just want to cuddle them like puppies.

Moratorium Day

I was in Whitehorse on July 10th getting my bus repaired, so I missed out on the mid-season celebration. For those of you who don't remember, I adopted the idea that on the half-way mark of the season, to relieve stress, it would be okay to run over tourists, answer stupid questions with stupid replies, and generally be irresponsible. (Of course, this is all Walter Mitty)
We had a major mudslide on the 4th.The highway was closed for 36 hours, canceling all tours. They have been working to clear it while leading traffic through with a pilot car. They have been working 16 hour days and closing the road at night. Luckily, the slide happened at a big pullout, so there was a detour available, and there is a gravel pit only 2 miles away, where they can put the dirt.
This summer has been wetter, but not cold. My Sunday hiking has been limited due to the rain. I just don't enjoy getting soaked. We attempted Boundary Creek last week, but the water was too deep to cross.

Happy birthday, Margie

You get to catch up on me briefly.
It is great to have Peggie here. I know because EVERYONE says so! We have been busy seeing friends and enjoying the holiday. Too many late nights for your working man.
Peggie got worn out saying no, so she is going to work a little bit for the quilt shop.

Happy Birthday USA

No fireworks.
Rain!
I will drive one tour today, then I will join Peggie and we will enjoy as much of the festivities as we can. Maybe this is the year we win the Ducky Derby.

happy birthday Dick

Dick is always in such a hurry to get older he has his birthday first every year. I would be first, but I am a procrastinator and don't get around to it.
It is really good to have Peggie here now.
We have heard from two different sources that there will not be fireworks this year. "The guy"retired. And nobody thought to get someone else? TWTWS!

Happy Birthday, Becky

A day late.
I meant to write this yesterday, but......no excuse. I forgot.
I was aware of Becky's birthday yesterday. I have the best way to remember. Peggie tells me.
We went to Eagar Wednesday. Just before we arrived, there was a buck antelope standing on the edge of the road. He didn't even run when we went by. We planned to bring the trailer to storage in Tucson. Instead, we decided to just store it in Eagar. Cheaper. Plus, it will give us an excuse to go to the mountains when we next need it.
I got the honey-do list completed. The A/C is fixed, and we have scheduled a meeting with the boss when we come back in July.
Peggie had a massage yesterday, so I went to the movie. Tom Cruise in "Edge of Tomorrow." Subtitle: "Ground Hog Day Goes to War in the Future Against Aliens"
No movies in Skagway, so it was a nice treat.
Two of Arizona's star basketball players were drafted Thursday. Both went slightly higher than predicted. Arizona is tied with Duke and Kansas for the most players drafted to the NBA.

In Tucson...

I flew from Skagway to Juneau in a six passenger plane. I was assigned the front seat (co-pilot) so I asked the pilot if we would fly over the Juneau Icefield instead of staying over the water. He said, "Sure."
The cloud cover was higher than the peaks, so we weaved our way over more glaciers than I could count. Well, I could have counted them if I had thought to do so at the beginning. It was a most pleasant flight that was over before I was ready for it to be.
I had to overnight in Juneau for a six a.m. flight to Tucson via Seatle. I arrived in Tucson at about 2 p.m.
It was (is) HOT! Or, as Andy Grifftith would have said, "Haaaw...aaw..AWT!
So, naturally, the A/C is on the fritz. Again. It is probably past time to get lawyers involved, but there is new management at the company we bought from, so maybe they will straighten things out. We'll see.
I have a "honey-do" list to complete this week before Peggie and I both fly back to Skagway next weekend.
As soon as the A/C works, I can work, too. We will spend one night in Eagar when we go up to retrieve the trailer.
We will fly north on Sunday, arrive late in Juneau, stay over night and catch an early flight to Skagway. The beauty of that schedule is that if weather grounds the planes, the ferry is available as a backup.

happy birthday Greg

Time to revive the tradition of noting important days.

Today may have been the worst weather day of the season so far. Nasty wind with cold rain. Fog on the entire tour route. Ten thousand people in port, but they didn't come to town.

I had bus trouble yesterday. Had to have another bus pick us up. I finished the tour standing and facing the guests while someone else drove. I have decided to hire a driver and do all my tours that way. It was both fun and effective. I wish I really could.
I still enjoy telling the story of my "hairbrained idea" from 2009. People love it, and like touching the wool. The goat tooth is also a hit.

happy fathers day

Casey just called and guilted me about posting more.
Last night I was energetic enough to go bear hunting in Dyea. Most evenings I am tired and I have an early morning to look forward to so I don't go out. But I was off yesterday and today so I could afford to stay up. My reward was two bears. First, a small, thin young looking one, then the giant one I call Bruiser. Bruiser has hung out at the mouth of the same creek since our first season here. He is really big. Last night he looked like a bison grazing.
Sadly, today we will mark the early passing of a fellow tour operator. He was only 34, but had untreatable cancer. The night he died was the same night we had the earthquake.
Oh yeah, we had a 5.7 on June 4th. Woke up the whole town at 4 a.m. My first thought was a bear scratching its back under the trailer. But by the time it was over I had figured it out.

Wow how time flies!

It is June 12th already.
Tomorrow will be Friday the 13th.
Saturday is Flag Day.
Sunday is Fathers Day.
I can't believe I have been here two months. But, here is what happens with time: today I had a conversation with a woman I met my first year here. The last time we had a conversation she was pregnant. Since then we wave and exchange greetings, but today we conversed. Her child is two and a half. I thought it was last year that she was pregnant. What? ?
I just got WiFi at my trailer so I hope I can be more consistent putting up posts.

another update

Thanks to all who continue to check even though I am not very regular in posting.
The ferry dock was successfully raised and back in service after only two weeks and two missed ferries. The water line that supplies the ferry sprang a leak that filled the hollow concrete floats.
I am afraid to reread any posts from past years because I might discover that my impression that the melt is earlier and faster than any other year might be wrong. Maybe I think that every year. I really wish we could catch all this water and send it to the drought stricken states.
This year I am hiking more and working out at the rec center. I hope to be in good shape by the end of the season.

quick update

We had ten days of warm-ups , with one ship days.
Yesterday was more like it will be, with three ships. This week will bring the new drivers up to speed.
I saw one bear during warm-ups. Then yesterday we saw a moose and the same bear. He is a mature black with a distinct way of walking, plus he was near the same place. He makes me think of Balloo, the bear in the old movie played by Phil Whatshisname. If you know the movie, bear, or Phil's last name, please comment.
Everyone here misses Peggie. Especially me.

Skagway crime wave

Yesterday the town was abuzz with the story. A seasonal worker upset about a recent DUI, went on a tire slashing spree. He got four of the five police vehicles plus the officers'private vehicles. He was caught while setting fire to the dispatcher's car at the station. At least thirty tires were ruined. Some of them were just unlucky to be parked near a police car.
It was not confirmed that a prisoner enroute to Juneau fell overboard into the frigid water of the Lynn Canal. But one can dream.

goingson

I have been here over a week. I've been to Whitehorse twice. We are getting vehicles ready. We have a new driver who is learning tour info. We have been up the pass twice for practice.
Three times in the last week the water lines froze overnight. After the first time we learned to fill a pitcher with water for early toilet flushing.
Today we got word of a local disaster. The dock used by the ferry sank. It floats so it can accommodate changing tides. But it floats no more. By the time we got down there the crowd was about a hundred. There was a large crane on a barge lifting a forklift out of the water. I have no idea what will happen next. Or when repairs will be made. What is obvious, is that a lot of people are going to have to find a different way to get here.

The blue ramp ends at the now underwater dock.

You can see bubbles to the left of a small crane and light poles sticking up above the water. The pier supports are at the far left. Broadway dock is in the distance. 

Here I Am

The trip was interesting.  Crowded to Seattle.  A dozen flights Portland to Seattle but 15 or 20 standbys trying for seats. Bigger plane out of Seattle, but plenty of open seats.
In Juneau, I had to wait 4 hours for the ferry. Lightly overcast, but we saw some of the eclipse.  Just two fellow travelers and bored TSA crew. Two brothers building a house in Haines. We shared a cab to the ferry. I got an invitation for coffee or wine when I am in Haines.
I found it interesting that in the two rainy cities of Portland and Seattle, we had to walk on the open tarmac between the plane and the terminal. In Ketchikan it was raining hard, but I stayed aboard.
I ate breakfast on the ferry while at the dock in Haines. Taked to a woman returning to the world following 13 weeks as a visiting nurse Soldotna. She goes to different places all the time. Had been to several Alaskan towns in the last few years. So many jobs I have never heard of.
Tried to take two buses to Whitehorse yesterday, but it is a three day weekend, so businesses were closed. I drove up alone to pick up Bryan from the airport.
We are trying to get ready for the season, but some down time so I have looked up friends. All disappointed Peggie is not here.

OMG

The day is here.
I am actually leaving for Skagway.
Alone.
I decided to look on this as an adventure. I am counting on it being the good kind.
When I arrive, tomorrow, I will try to find time to recount whatever adventures the journey provides.
One thing I am hoping for is clear skies in Juneau, as I will be there, and awake, at the time of the lunar eclipse. Watching the "Blood Moon" will give me something to do while I wait for the ferry.
And, I hope the airport doesn't kick me out too early, as I know the ferry terminal won't be open, and I really don't want to spend three hours outside at 30 degrees.

moved in

Yesterday we moved upstairs.
Showered in our new shower.
Slept in our new bedroom.
Moving is a lot of work. We were sore and tired.
Our new curtains keep it dark in the morning when the sun hits the windows. The bathroom is a lot darker in the middle of the night, which allowed me to notice that the new doorknobs are a different shape. The new window A/C cools the room nicely. The new cabinets give us a lot more storage space so the bedroom can be more wide open. The closet is not as full because we purged when we moved out last year.
It has been a year!
Of course we were gone for six months. But still.
Now, this is us, so we still have four drawers with the wrong fronts. The grab bar in the shower isn't up yet. And the hardware on the pocket door still has to be swapped. But we still love it, and all that will be done soon. What a good word, soon.
Today, WM will pick up the last of the boxes everything came in, so even the clean-up will be complete.
New adventures can't wait. I leave (alone) for Skagway on Monday. When I get back, Peggie will have taken over the entire bathroom. I probably won't have anyplace to put my toothbrush.

Something to Write (Home) About

Eating a late lunch in Willcox, I asked Peggie how the enchilada sauce was.
She answered, "It's ok, nothing to write home about."
I quipped, "Oh, too bad, I was looking for something to write home about."
Then, at the same time, (we have been married a looong time) we both came up with the following topic.
If you read Peggie's facebook you know about our trip to place the trailer in Eagar for her summer heat-avoidance get-aways this summer. I created check lists for all of the outside duties associated with moving and setting up the trailer, and she practiced them and did all the driving from Tucson. She intends to drive to Oregon in September, where I will meet her at the end of the season.
We had time to take the scenic route on the way home today, so we headed south on US 191. It is a beautiful drive, but slow, so we only go that way when we can leave early and arrive late.
So, the topic: we were driving along, looking for wildlife, comparing the condition of the post-Wallow Fire forest to the tour we took in 2011. I noticed light precipitation floating over the cab, not quite hitting the windshield. I thought, "Snow?" So I slowed to a stop (no traffic on the road) so I could look at it. Just as I did, Peggie said, "Elk!" And there she was. A lone cow elk at the edge of the road. She looked at us, trotted 100 feet and stopped to look back. Quite serendipidous for her to be there when I was stopping anyway.
It was snow. Very light. Very tiny flakes. We were looking at the elk, but the snow was falling so lightly that we could have counted the flakes as they hit the hood. And just in time, because within a quarter mile we were out of the snow shower.

The Remodel is done....except for the hem.

The contractor cleaned up and left today.There are four drawer fronts still to be changed out. The guy came to change them, and brought the wrong ones. The electrician has to install the dimmer switches (Monday).
We take the trailer to Eagar tomorrow. Come back Sunday. We will be moving upstairs next week. We can use the shower as soon as we hang the curtain. I used the toilet today. The mirrors are true works of art.
Whew, just in the nick of time
I leave for Skagway on the 14th.
Oh, the tiles came a day late. And two of the fifteen sheets were incorrect. Luckily, we had some of the correct ones from the original supply.
You're all invited to come see the final product.
But call first.

Third setback

See how smart I was to start numbering them?
First, an update on previous setbacks.
We found that the two incorrect vanity cabinets work well to support Peggie's cutting table in  the studio.
Who knew that's where they would end up? Show of hands. Yeah, you guys are all pretty smart.
We also get to keep the incorrect drawer fronts. They will make pretty shelves. Where? You know.
Today the shower floor was going in. The main floor and shower walls are all done, and gorgeous.
We were invited to come up for a look. The shower floor tiles are in 12" x 12" sheets of 1" pieces. Except some of them are not. Some of them are slightly larger, so there are only 11 pieces per row in the square foot sheet. Hmmmm. The lines don't match up. On closer inspection of all the sheets, we actually have four different lots of tiles. Different thickness, different sizes. Whoever filled the boxes didn't look closely enough.
So we went to the tile store. They looked around and found some in Albuquerque. They can be here on Monday. Sure. The tile was supposed to be done and sealed by Saturday. Soooo. We hope the tiles coming are at least all the same size. Doesn't matter which size, just all the same.
Still the carpet is supposed to be done on Saturday, anyway.
The counter top came in and is installed. There are still a few drawer fronts to be changed out. The new ceiling fan works in the bedroom.
We really want to get moved in before I leave. I want to try the new shower.
Stay tuned.

Kudos to Sears

Our truck needed new tires.
I asked the dealer to give me prices on appropriate tires for my vehicle and my usage.
They came up with three recommendations at three price points.
I went on-line to see what kind of reviews they each had. Finally, I made a choice, but Sears had the same tires listed at considerable savings. So I ordered them through Sears, to be delivered at the store for installation. Yesterday, I got the call that they were in and ready, so I took the truck and a book and went in.
Estimate: one hour.
One hour later I got "The Call." You know, the one where something has come up that will require more services and more money.
This time the problem was that the wrong tires were sent. I ordered E rated tires (10 ply sidewalls) because they resist puncture from cactus and stand up well under towing loads. They delivered 6 ply.
"No problem." The guy says, we can substitute these other tires: different brand, longer warranty, higher mileage rating, higher price.
Luckily, I'm a retired gentleman of leisure. So I say, "If you can get me those tires at the price I already paid, fine. Otherwise, let's reorder and I will come back." And I pointed out that if I was going to pay more money, I could just get the tires I wanted at the dealer. ( Another point I was considering was that Sears are located all over the U.S. and Canada making warranty adjustments easier.)
Nobody wants to lose a customer, so, deal. Better tires at the same price.
Then when I am settling up to leave, the guy informs me that there is a mail-in rebate from the manufacturer and I will get $80 back. SCORE! Their mistake gets me tires worth $130 more, at a savings of $80.
Good job Sears guy.

When the unusual happens...

I have to write about it.
I adjusted the timer on the drip irrigation system today to account for our warm, dry weather and walked around the yard to assure that all the plants were getting watered. I spotted what looked like a small bird carcass and went to pick it up. But it wasn't a bird carcass. It was a FISH carcass. I guess it was a sand trout who accidentally surfaced in my yard and got confused by the fence and couldn't get out.

First and second set-backs

Notice I am numbering the set-backs.
Cynical? Nah, realist.
The painters took two days, one to prime, and one to finish. Looks good.
The cabinetry came. The fronts are natural hickory with knots and grain showing. Very pretty.
But.
The drawer fronts are the wrong style. We are told the correct fronts will be sent, no cost to us.
The sections of the vanity that fit under the sinks were supposed to have a cabinet above a drawer. They came with a drawer above the cabinet. Won't work, because the sink drops into the drawer. We are told that the correct models will be sent. Not only no cost, but we get to keep the errors.
One of them can be used when we get around to remodeling the downstairs bathroom, and I am sure we can think of a way to use the other one. At least we will store it somewhere until we figure it out.
We don't know what kind of delays this may cause, but we hope it can be resolved in the two weeks it will take to get the vanity top made.
We have all of the fixtures and hardware either here or on the way. We think. At least all the decisions have been made.  Electrician will do installs next week.
We will be moved in by the end of the month. That is the plan.
Meantime, we have taken advantage of the dumpster bag to get rid of some of the larger pieces of junk around the house. Gee, we didn't even know we had any junk.

Four out of Three

We had a good excuse to drive to Cottonwood last weekend. Liz needed a bed frame and we had one we didn't need.
But, in the Verde Valley there are a bijillion jeep trails, which is an excuse in itself.
This trip, Dave and Margie took their Dakota and Don and Peggie and I took our Ram on the Jerome/Chino narrow gauge railroad (the tracks are long gone). We went through Perkinsville and headed for Williams.
First, we saw mule deer, later we crossed two wet creeks, and neither vehicle suffered mechanical problems. So that is a perfect three-for-three outing. But, wait! There's more!
We passed through an abandoned flagstone quarry. Somehow, some of the stone landed in our respective trucks. So that makes four out of three criteria. Pretty good outcome. I now have stones of another color to add to the patio.

Merry Christmas Bill

We just got back from attending the B.B. King show, the tickets for which were one of my Christmas presents. We were in row H, on the aisle, left of center. Great seats.
It was a fabulous show. B.B. King is 88 years old, and it shows, but he can play that guitar. Each of the eight band members got to solo on "The Thrill is Gone."  That one song lasted about 20 minutes.
The opening acts were excellent bluesmen who are locals. We will have to see if/ where they play regularly.

Nothing to say

Well, nothing earth shattering.
Like....EARTHQUAKE....or VOLCANO....or METEOR!!!!!
Those things are happening someplace else.
Our upstairs remodel is underway. The demolition phase is complete. We have one of those Waste Management bags in our driveway. It is full of sinks and drywall and cabinetry and tile and pipes and a bathtub.
In the bathroom we can see into the attic over the garage. We found out there was no insulation in that wall. This week the electrician will come to rewire for new lights, outlets and switches. The drywall guy will come to patch the places where stuff was removed. Then the painter will come to paint (duh). Next week the tile guy will come to tile (duhble duh). And guess what the carpet guy will do. Go ahead, guess.
Eventually, we will move into our new master suite.
Today we went toilet shopping. Really. We don't often go toilet shopping. I really don't understand why there are so many different brands and styles of toilets. There are many funny lines that could go here, but I will let you supply your own.
While we were out, we went to the Tucson Old Time Fiddle Contest. I saw it advertised the other day. Until now, I didn't know there was a Tucson Old Time Fiddle Contest. It was held in the auditorium/cafeteria/gymnasium (which they call a multi-purpose room), at a private high school. Walking into the room was like walking into the 1950's. Or into the 2014 version of a small town in the south. Everyone was dressed in western wear. Not Scottsdale costume western wear, real, everyday western wear. Their skin was weathered from life in the outdoors (or smoking, hard to tell). The announcer had a Texas accent. The program was organized as well as any small town program ever is. The fiddlers were mostly competent. Volunteers manned the raffle table and the hot dog stand. You don't often get that small town feel in the middle of Tucson.
Speaking of earth shattering: the sinkholes we saw in Sedona did not have Corvettes in the bottom. Boy howdy, Kentucky really knows one-upmanship.

Boy, are we having a good time.

Friday we drove to Cottonwood. The expressed purpose of the trip was to visit some sink holes in the Sedona area that Don and Margie had recently become aware of. They had visited some of them. There are seven. Margie is acquainted with a professional geologist who agreed to give us a narrated guided tour. The exact locations of some of the holes is a closely guarded secret due to the archeological value of rock art found within. Only one of the seven is widely known and visited because it is on one of the popular jeep tour trails. The inside is accessible only with rappelling gear, so few people go to the bottom.
What the geologist told us, briefly, is that the red sandstone of the Sedona area is on top of a layer of limestone. The limestone is eroded by water coming down from the Flagstaff area through the basalt layer. When the limestone is gone, the sandstone caves in. The cave-in prevents access to the caverns, so nobody knows the extent of them. But they are active. Meaning they are still forming. In fact, the most recent rock fall was in the 1990's. That is so recent, that it doesn't even register on the geologic time scale.
If we had known of these sink holes as kids, we would most certainly, have found a way to get into them.
When we arrived back at Don's house, I heard air escaping from my rear tire. There was a screw in it. So we (Don and I) got to change a tire. But since it was on his driveway, it doesn't count as an "adventure".
On Saturday, Don and I went jeeping while Peggie, Karin, and Margie went to a presentation on the history of Verde Valley quilts. Naturally, we discovered many roads, and many places we haven't been to, so we will have to go back. We had lunch in Bagdad. Not much there. Only one diner, one convenience store, one dinner only restaurant, one Basha's. Really. No dollar store! No Walgreen's! No fast food joint.
When we go into the hinterlands, we measure success in three ways.
1. Beautiful views: yes
2. Wildlife sighting: yes (antelope, deer, coyote)
3. Wet tires: no There was water in some of the stream beds, but not at the road crossings.
Two out of three ain't bad.

Lake Patagonia

Lake Patagonia is on Sonoita Creek about 15 miles north of Mexico. The hills around it are grass covered with the occasional mesquite and ocotillo. It is a state park. The campsites are well spaced and there is water and electricity at most of them. Good bathrooms with showers are provided for free. Lake Patagonia is a fishing lake. That is, most of the campers and day visitors are there to fish.
We were there at the invitation of a former colleague of mine. She is a newly retired Kindergarten teacher. She and her partner, a high school counselor,  had the site next to us. Also in the group was another colleague retired from second grade, and her husband, retired from the mine at Ray. The fourth rig was another couple we had not met before. The husband is a retired pilot and the wife is a permanent substitute teacher. Also joining the group was another former colleague and our daughter, Casey.
During the day, we all did our own things. Reading, hiking, sitting by the lake, birdwatching, visiting.
Each evening we all gathered for dinner and a fire. Dinners were communal.
The weather could not have been better. Mild and sunny. The only bad thing was that one of the couples had a pair of Sea Eagle inflatable boats. So now we want one.

Why we live here.

We are going camping for the weekend.
Yes. We can go camping in January. Highs will be in the 70's. There will be no snow. Not even clouds. There will be no ice on the water.
We have selected our bathroom cabinets and the drawer pulls and cabinet handles. We have selected the tile for shower and floor. We have selected the counter top. That leaves only half a gazillion decisions still to make.
So we can take a break and go camping.

More changes

Just as we were breathing easy, the phone rang Monday. Our remodel contractor had two other jobs go on indeterminate delay, so could we start ours right away. Sure. We met on Tuesday to go over everything. So now, all those decisions that we had two months to ponder have to be made now. And there are a gazillion things. If you have ever done a construction or remodel, you know. If you haven't, there is no way to explain it.  Tomorrow we meet at the lighting store. Monday we meet with several subcontractors. But we are under way. Yay!