Spokane – The East Gateway to Washington State

We left Wenatchee after a warm breakfast with Lynda, Jake, and Berkeley. We will keep in to touch but they will be busy traveling next Christmas as they will be in Perth, Australia where Lynda is planning to do an Ironman Triathlon and then visit New Zealand to be with friends. In the spring, Lynda plans to go to Boston to do the Marathon then she returns to conduct the Wenatchee, Marathon. So that takes us until next year and it is hard to plan that far in advance. For now, it is wonderful that we were able to spend this much time with our little family.

We headed east on our way back to Florida taking our time stopping every two hundred miles to take in the sights. Our next stop was to be Spokane. We had driven by it a few years ago when we went to see Lynda compete in the Iron Man Triathlon at Coeur de Lain. Now we were going to take in the home of John Stockton a once neighbor of ours in Salt Lake. We wanted to visit his dad's Ben and Dan's Tavern near Gonzaga University but being Sunday we were not sure it would be open. We got into the city limits and let the Garmin Girl guide us into the Ramada Hotel.

We were rode through the city and we found something unique. There were restaurants everywhere in every ethnic type and the usual fast food restaurants as well. By far the most restaurants were Asian. Here are some examples: Panda Palace, Chinese Buffet, Honk Kong Express, Thai Bamboo, Yuen Sushi, Peking Noodle, Cathay Imperial, Tung Hun Garden, Taste of India, Kay lore Garden, and Chinese Mandarin Foods. Add another list for Italian, Mexican, and Fast Foods in general and you can see that people in Spokane love to eat! But guess what? No Hooters.

We arrived at our hotel early in the afternoon so we decided to go on a bike hike. John got directions about a park that had a route along side of a river so we followed her directions and went to locate the park. As it happened there were two parks with the similar name and when John asked a bi-stander he would get directions going the opposite direction. So for a while we rode up and down the streets not getting anywhere. I checked the maps and came to the conclusion that this was a state park and not one in the middle of the city. So we tried again, and finally found Riverside State Park and the trail that followed the river.

We arrived about four and got out bikes down and noticed other riders starting and some getting off the path. We pumped the tires, got our water and helmets and we were ready. It turned out to be an exciting trail with lots of hills and hair pin turns. The path was well paved and easy for road bikes. There was only one steep hill that we could not pump up, so we got off and walked. This was actually the last part of a trail that began on the other side of town and much of it was riding on the streets which we did not want to do. This part was the most challenging and we saw several riders doing this part more than once. Once was enough for us for this afternoon, and we decided to call it a day.

On the way home we picked up some Kentucky Fried Chicken and salads and decided to stay in for the evening. This would give us an opportunity to map our plan for the second halve of our adventure. We were not set on our part II itinerary so we decided to plan a few stops ahead. Tomorrow we would be going to Missoula "Where a River Ran Through it". Montana here we come!

Hood River – The Playground of the Gorge

The next morning John and Lynda gathered in the garage to see what Lynda wanted to take to Hood River by way of windsurfing equipment. Ted was the one who used to rig a sail and send Lynda out first then assemble his gear. Now Lynda had to make these decisions. She selected her favorite 8.6 glass board and boom. The masts were in the mast sleeve in the trailer which John put next to the Rocket Box. Now Lynda just needed to gather her wet suites, booties, and harness and she was ready to go. She put these in a bag and left to pick up the kids in East Wenatchee while John and I got the rest of our things. Soon the kids were ready and Oreo quickly placed himself in the center seat showing that he was ready to go. Lynda and Ted had made the trip to Hood River often when they first got married and she was quite familiar with the roads. So we told her that we would follow her with our heavier load. Several times during the trip we went over to the side and let the large trucks go by so we quickly lost sight of Lynda's red Pathfinder. She tried to keep us in her sights, and would stop and wait on crucial turns where we might get lost.

We finally got to Hood River but had to by-pass it and go on to Cascade Locks where we were planning to stay for our trip. Our friend Kane insisted that we stay with him instead, so we took him up on it but we would stay in Cascade Locks for at least one night since it was already paid for. It turned out to be a beautiful day and not cold and drizzly as it usually is. We found our campsite in a corner of the tent sights and began to put our tents together. Jake and Berkeley helped Lynda put things together and find their sleeping bags. Then they played a game of hide and seek by getting into their bags. Lynda and I pretended to look everywhere for them. Finally, Lynda swooped down on top of them and started to tickle them through their bags. When all the giggling stopped, we got a chance to take Oreo for a walk in the trails around the campground. By the time we got back the kids were hungry, so I took out my little burner and Jake and I got it going and started boiling water for noodles. The plan was to have noodles and chicken with crackers and a fruit bar. The meal was satisfying and well received and after clean-up it was time for bed.

Soon everything was quiet in our tents, but since this was the fourth of July weekend, we heard more and more people come and start setting up their camps and lighting fires. The group behind us was exceptionally noisy telling stories and laughing. Finally, at three in the morning, John had to get up the tell them to be quiet. I listened from my bed and waited for the confrontation. Oh my, I didn't want to lose my driver! John began, "Hi guys, houz it goin'?" "Ah… good." "Well, when are you going to bed?" asked John. "Oh," they replied, "as soon as this log goes out." He says this as he threw another log on the fire. John then returned to our tent and said in a whisper, "Did you see how big those guys are? Man, they were big and drunk. Man I'm not messing around with them!" After that, they seemed to get the picture and they whispered in muted tones as we drifted off to sleep only to be fully awakened by the train that seemed to roll right over us all the while tooting his horn. After the rumbling engine faded, the camp was again quiet and we slept until the sun streamed through the branches of the great pines and the birds began to sing.

Posing at Multnomah Falls

Jake, Berdeley and Oreo find a hollow tree

Next morning to celebrate the Fourth of July, the campground staff placed little American flags all over the campground for the children to find. They would be given a treat for each flag they brought in. Jake and Berkeley were the first ones up and they dashed out looking for flags. By eight in the morning they had gathered a huge bunch of flags and brought them in to the astonishment of the camp owners. Jake and Berkeley got their candy and offered to re- hide the flags of the other kids. The lady said, "No thanks," and took the flags. After a pancake breakfast we were ready to put our tents down and get ready to go.

We decided to take in a hike at Multnomah Falls that was near the camp. The Watlala or Cascade Indians inhabited this area until the treaty of 1857 when they were removed to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation. The Indians ceded their lands to the U. S. Government. The Watlala were highly skilled traders. They would charge a portage fee over the Cascade Falls which were impossible to cross. So they would have traders trade goods to use their land for portage. They fished for salmon, sturgeon, trout and they also hunt for deer. They named the falls Multnomah meaning, "close to the water." It is the second tallest waterfall in the U.S.

We got to the falls about noon and there were many cars so it was hard to find a parking place on the road. After a lot of drive-throughs, we both found spots and got our water bottles and cameras and joined the swarm of people going up the trail. Berkeley took the leash and Oreo took off and we all followed. We climbed up to the first level to the Benson Footbridge and took a bunch of pictures that are sure to make the Christmas photo. We continued climbing finding interesting places to pose. As the trail got steeper, we started counting the switch backs. By the time we got up to the top we counted eleven. At the top of the falls we looked down, and it was exhilarating to see the water lazily go over and then explode into white water sending a veil of steam into the air as the water fell 542 feet below. We backed up to the stream that fed the falls and touched the cool water. The water comes from underground springs in the Larch Mountain and is added to by spring runoff from the snow pack as well as rain water. Oreo especially liked taking a long drink and we were able to refill our water bottles. Now it was time to go down. Oreo, Berkeley and Lynda disappeared down the slope followed by Jake. John also ran down the trail dodging people as he went, and I went down a bit slower since I wanted to save my toes by going sideward and them flipping to the other side for a few steps and on and on. When we reached the bottom Lynda and the kids were already snacking and didn't seem out of breath at all. We all finished the day with ice creams and ice cones.

We made our way to Kane Roland's house after getting some groceries and arrived about three in the afternoon and found him comfortably watching the Tour de France. He offered his spare room upstairs and his Casita trailer for us to sleep. Lynda was into camping, so she said she and the kids would sleep in their tent in the back yard, and John and I chose to sleep in the Casita to see what it was like. We got our luggage organized and Lynda got her tent down then we joined Kane for a light meal. Kane bought out his classic miniature fit-the-parts-roadster car and Jake went to town putting it together. Kane, being into biking got to talking with Lynda and they were happily making plans for tomorrow's ride. They knew friends in town that would join then in morning rides so it was set that early morning would be ride time. Finally, Kane suggested that we all could take a ride on the Old Columbia Highway that is now only for bikes and pedestrians. So with that thought in mind we decided to bed down in our new surroundings. At least there wouldn't be trains storming near-by.

The next day Lynda and Kane joined a friend and went riding early in the morning. When we got up the children were being entertained by Mom's IPAD full of games, films, and cartoons. We had breakfast and worked on our trip itinerary until Lynda and Kane got home about nine. Kane had clients that day in his kayak business called Gorge Paddling business and so he would not be able to join us for the bike trip. We were excited and got our gear together as did Lynda and the Kids. We had to leave Oreo behind as it would have been too difficult to control our bikes and him on this trip. He did not understand this of course so he didn't know why we placed him the back yard and closed the door. We left through the front door and got into our cars and sped away to the entrance of the Columbia Road Highway. The parking lot was full of cars and some people walked the trail and others rode. We got our bikes down and set off up the hill. All our bikes had gears except Berkeley's so we had to make sure that we were close to her especially on the up hills. Gears or no gears, however, she was pressed to catch up with Jake who was leading the pack. No matter how hard she pushed her legs even riding out of the saddle, she could not catch Jake and he of course was in his own world moving to his own drummer. Meanwhile, we were enjoying the beautiful scenery and taking our time on this lovely Sunday morning. Up ahead we kept hearing Berkeley's voice calling for Jake to stop. Finally, she was not able to go any farther and she drove her bike into the ditch. Jake turned around and rode back to see what was happening. He consented to let her take the lead, and we were off again letting her have a head start. With sheer determination she pumped her little legs as hard as she could and took off. We went back to following checking the sights and getting used to riding again.

Berkeley on the  Dirty Fingers Bike with new pedals

Near the top of the hill Lynda and the kids walked part of the rise and John and I wanted to test our gears and sped up to the top. There, we left our bikes by a tree and walked down to the look out to see the windsurfers below. This was the spot near Mosier called Rock Creek that is a great place to windsurf because there is a wide bay and the scenery is beautiful looking toward Hood River. We could see several windsurfers flying across the water and it reminded us why we had come. For about ten years starting in 1988 we had made this area our home for the summer. Not only had we spent joyous times on the river, but nurtured many friendships that have continued throughout the years. So returning was like coming home again. We enjoyed watching the windsurfers and we were soon joined by Lynda, Jake and Berkeley.

It was now time to finish the ride which was mostly downhill. Just as we were ready to ride we met with Galen's husband, Jeb and two young sons Lars, Boden. Galen and Jeb are doctors in Wenatchee who are staying at her brother's cabin for the weekend. Galen was riding all the way to Mosier and the trip on the highway would be too difficult and dangerous for the two boys. Lars said that we would probably meet up with Galen on her way back. He also reminded us about the two tunnels that would be fun to go through. So we were eager to get going. We told Lynda that we would take Jake and go ahead and meet at the end of the trail. So we took off and flew down the hill with Jake at the lead. We were going with the wind so it was exhilarating going with little effort. We flew through the tunnels and rode to the end of the trail where we waited for Lynda and Berkeley. It wasn't long before we saw Lynda and Berkeley flying toward us with happy smiles. As we waited to figure out if we wanted to risk the ride to go down to Mosier, Galen sped up the hill. She said it would be rough for the kids and there really wasn't much there to see. So we decided to go back up hill into the wind.

We again said that we would go on ahead with Jake and Lynda would have to walk up the hill with Berkeley. I could see that she would really like the challenge of riding, but she had already had a tough ride early in the morning and bonding with Berkeley was just as important in the long run. So the three of us pumped our legs hard, and we pushed against the wind all the way up the hill. We stayed together most of the way and sometimes we let Jake go on ahead and we would catch up. On one of these occasions we saw Jake get off his bike and place it against the white retaining fence. Suddenly, he was screaming and running all about. We went to him and he said that he was stung by a bee on his cheek. Just then another biker who happened to be a doctor said, "Here is some ice to take the swelling down." This compress seemed to help a little but Jake still felt the sting. We looked over to see where his bike was, and about five yards away was a hornet's nest as large as a loaf of bread. It was white and hanging on the white fence it was difficult to see. There were a few hornets buzzing around and John went carefully and got Jake's bike. The doctor gave us a few more ice cubes then left down the path. Soon Berkeley and Lynda came up and we told them about the sting. Lynda said, "Mud. We need to make a compress of mud." So John got some dirt and I poured a few drops of water and made a mud compress to put on Jakes cheek. That seemed to work. He now looked like a road warrior. With a war cry, we all got on our bikes and make it to the bottom without a stop. I'm sure this old highway has seen many things happen on its trail since the days when old stage coaches rolled on its path, now that times are a changing, happenings like ours are sure to add to its character.

Monday was the Fourth of July. Kane and Lynda went to do a ride early in the morning and when they returned we planned to ride to the parade down town. When Jake was only one year old Lynda and Ted pushed Jake in a carriage all nine miles on the Fourth of July run from Odell to Hood River. Now Jake was nine and we were planning to ride our bikes to see the last runners come in and the floats and horses! We had a light breakfast and got ourselves ready for our drive. Kane led the way as we all got on our bikes and rode toward the parade route. We got there, parked our bikes and found a good spot to view the floats. It was more like an advertising parade for business around town. We thought it would have been fun to advertise Kane's business by using his trailer full of kayaks and we would sit in the kayaks and throw candy. That will be something to think about for the future. Now the kids were all running for candy that was being thrown by floats. I was looking for the marching band from the high school but I think they were at the beginning of the parade, and we missed them. What we didn't miss were the horses which were ridden by handsomely dressed Caballeros. They were preceded by a Mariachi band and some stylish beautiful Fortlorico dancers in their full, colorful skirts. The Mexicans seemed to be the most culturally organized group in the parade. Many came here years ago to pick fruit and they have stayed and settled bringing a wonderful culture to mix with the Anglo and Native American.

If the helmets fit, wear them!

At the end of the parade we all got on our bikes and followed Kane to Dirty Fingers, the bicycle repair shop which is next to a coffee brewing nook. Lynda wanted to get new pedals for Berkeley's bike as one was demolished and only had a rod where the pedal was to be. While her bike was being repaired, Berkeley proceeded to gather as many Dirty Finger stickers as she could find to put on her bike. Then she went over to see if she could find some biking gloves that would fit. While she was at the counter, she and Jake tried on some racing helmets. I simply had to take their picture! When the bike was done, it was taken outside and placed on the rack. Berkeley followed and proceeded to slap on her decals. Kane came over to help find best places for the stickers to go. Soon the bike was full of Dirty Finger decal and forever more will be called The Dirty Finger Bike. After going next door and smelling coffee beans from all over the world, Kane chose to buy a specialty bag for his morning coffee and we were on our way playing follow the leader all the way back to Kane's house.

That afternoon Kane was planning to go to look for Morrel mushrooms with his friend Tamara who predicts the weather for the Gorge on her web site: thegorgeismygym. Morrel mushrooms are edible mushrooms that look like a brain on top of a Popsicle stick. Kane has a special place where he looks and it is to be kept a secret from other mushroom hunters. He hopes he can find some and prepare some for us this evening.

We felt the need to rig and get out in the water, so we make our way to the event center to have a go at windsurfing. The first step was getting the boards, sails, booms, and other gear out to the lawn to begin rigging. Since we had to rig three sails, we had stuff all over the place. We found half way through that a sail would only use a particular mast. We had our little mast stolen and so we had to adapt the extension of the sail. Next was the boom problem. They had not been used for a while so it was hard to slide them to fit the sail. A lady on the beach said she uses a bit of salad oil as a lubricant and it works. We didn't have any lubricant so I went to the Snack Shack and got a bit of bacon grease in a tiny cup and applied it to the boom extensions and it worked. An hour and half later we had one sail ready and Lynda out for a trial run. She looked great and even made a jibe. Next was John out there with his green helmet. He looked like he was having a great time. I spent some time with the kids treating them to hot dogs and playing Mr. Potato Man at the snack booth. Then it was my turn to go out. Getting out was not a problem, but staying out there with kite boarders all around made me nervous. I also had some complications with the extra long downhaul and it sure was getting cold in the water! Boy I was such a baby. Then I concentrated on just getting in. That was enough for the first day so we de rigged and got everything piled up near the curb. John brought the Moby Dick around and we loaded her down with all our stuff.

Lynda coming in for a landing

Fixing Mr. Potato Head



John is somewhere out there!



The event center has always been a place to connect with other windsurfers and today was no exception. After we put away all our windsurfing stuf,f we noticed a large group having a potlatch get-together. There we met up with Bud and Vel Budworth, Jerry-lyn, and Dave Fraiser, They were just finishing up and were gathering the kids for a piñata party. So we gathered Jake and Berkeley and lined them up with the rest of the kids. Vel and Jerry-lyn were in charge. Vel was in charge of lining up the kids and since this wast the ten and under group, she had her hands full. Jerry-lyn was handling the piñata, She got the tallest windsurfer she could find, and gave him a mast. Then she stung the piñata on it and had the holder practice bobbing it up and down. He found someone else to help him, and they worked out a system that had the piñata dancing up and down bobbing here and there. At this rate, I had the feeling we might be here a while. Then Jerry-lyn got a long stick and gave it to the first kid. He swung with such gusto that he did a pirouette and almost hit Jerry-lyn on the back side. Meanwhile, the piñata was dancing freely all about. Finally, towards the end of the line, it was Jake's turn. He was determined to smash it. Before he was given the stick, however, he had to be blind folded. Now he had to depend on his ears. He was handed the stick and barely grazed it. He swung again and it was a clear miss. Finally, the next kid hit it with a down swing that knocked one of the arms off and a few candies dropped out. That was all that was needed as the kids swarmed the candies and the men made the piñata jump around rain goodie on the children. There was now a swarm of kids searching for candy in the grass like a swarm of bees in a hive. Finally, a boy squirmed out of the bottom of the about pile and said holding out his hands, "There are mainly peanuts with shells!" Oh well, you can't please them all!

Vel looks on as JEry-lyn gets ready to tie on a blind fold.



Jake winds up to take a mighty blow!



The next day the wind prediction was to be extra high winds and the best windsurfing was to be east toward Rowena and Roosevelt. So John and I planned to go searching for a wide steady board that we hoped to buy and take home to Sarasota where there are light winds most of the year. We went to Windance and checked out a board for $800 with 128 liters of floatation and the length was about 9 feet. Then we went to Big Winds and found one that was used for teaching that they were willing to sell for $400 that had about 120 liters of floatation and was about 8 feet in length and 30 inches in width. That was more like it, as it wouldn't break the bank and I could have some fun using it. I had the clerk fix the straps so they were in a better place for me and screw in the fin. Then we were ready to try it out. We slipped the board in through the back so it was easy to take out.

Just as we were leaving we heard our names called and turned in the parking lot to find an old friend that we met in Baja at a windsurfing camp in the early 1990s and repeatedly at the Gorge. Ron and Barbara were teachers near Sacramento, California and were hooked on windsurfing like we were. They always took their skills to the Sacramento River Delta and then came to the Gorge to learn new ones. One year Kane organized a down winder from Mercury Cove to Roosevelt and Ron wanted to join us. I was a designated driver and photographer so I followed the riders by land stopping from time to time to see where they were at every turn. At one time one rider stopped another stopped to help then they moved on. From where I was they were specks on the water but I knew something happened down there. It wasn't until we all met at Roosevelt that I found out that Ron had lost his contact lenses in his eyes, and he could only see colors. It was then that Kane came to his help, and told him to follow the red sail. So that's what he did and managed to finish the ride. Now here was Ron twenty years later recalling that same incident. This is very typical of the Gorge.

To try out our board we went out to the Marina which was less populated and shallow for a greater distance. Back in 1989 when we started coming to the Gorge, the Marina was where everyone launched and they even had the windsurfing races there with risers so everyone could watch. Now that they built the Event Center, the Marina is used mainly for teaching. So this was fine with us. We thought this would be a great opportunity for us to have Berkeley and Jake use the board for balance practice. So we rigged a small sail and John went out first to try it out. I could see that it was pretty steady and he was able to jibe it and get back. Then Lynda went out and she did great and even got a water start and came back in. I was too cold and I didn't want to catch a cold so I opted to let everyone else have fun with the Baby Moby Dick. Jake was the first to get on and then Berkeley joined him in tandum as Lynda and John pushed them back and forth. John taught Jake how to give the signal once he was us and then Berkeley got up on his signal. It worked great, and they went back and forth getting better at each turn.

The next day was to be a hot one and little to no wind was in store. Many who had gone east the day before were thankful for a day off to nurse any wounds. We decided to take the kids to the tennis courts and play with our new soft tennis balls that are now being used for teaching children. We gathered our tennis rackets and swim suits for pool fun after the tennis hit-along. Jake did well but hit two balls over the fence. They would have been home runs in T-ball but this was tennis and we only needed to get the ball over the net. Once he got the picture, everything went well. Then Berkeley wanted to try but only with Jake's racket. So we hit softies to her and she was getting it with some balls connecting and others that were clear misses, Lynda got back so we kept the rhythm going. After a while everyone was getting tired of chasing balls and we called it quits because of the heat. Now it was time for the pool.

The public pool in Hood River is great because there are so many parts to have lots of activities going at the same time. Jake and Berkeley went directly to the rope swing. They stand on a platform when it is their turn and the lifeguard hands the rope and they swing to the middle of the pool and drop in. They never tire of this and when the lifeguard gives it a rest, the kids all go to the slide. So while the kids are occupied John, Lynda, and I have a chance to do laps in the Lap part of the pool. It turns into a lovely afternoon and by closing time at five we are cooled off and ready to go. To add to the perfect day we are treated by Kane who has cooked his fabulous mushrooms for us.

Jake, Berkeley, John and Lynda play with a log in the frigid waters of the Columbia

Farewells are always difficult at the end of the summer but in our case it was only at the end of a week. Bud and Vel insisted that we have a get together with all our friends and that it should be a picnic at the new Waterside Park which was the new park built adjacent to the Event Center. The city wanted to create a park for families and they added wonderful attractions for kids like a climbing wall, rhythm drums and keys, and climbing and turning apparatus. They also created a beach area that swimmers can use without being in the way of windsurfers. John, Lynda, Jake and Berkeley risked the frigid water and had a great time with a floating log. So Vel thought the site would be perfect. Everyone was to bring a dish to share and bring your own drinks. We were due to leave on Friday morning so Thursday late afternoon was to be the time. I found a lady who makes Argentinian empanadas, so I ordered some for everyone to try. Kane found a great bean recipe that he put in crock pot and that was a hit with everyone. We had plenty of salads, deserts, casserole , and breads.

We were so pleased to see many of our friends come by and enjoy a meal and find out what is going on in their world. Ron and Barbara stopped by and said hello as they had another engagement. Ron used to be quite the runner but he has had knee replacement and has cut back on his running. He and Barbara were in San Padre Island in the spring learning kite boarding. Dave and Betsy Fraiser came and Betsy stayed until she had to go to band rehearsal where she plays the flute. Larry, Elizabeth, Sawyer, and Annie came and brought a friend of Elizabeths. We learned they were planning to sell their home in Carson and buy one in Corvalis. Of course Bud and Vel were our hosts getting things organized. They built a home in Las Ventanas, Mexico along with other people from the Gorge and now there is a community in Baja that goes south for the winter. Signe Tenser surprised us half way into our eating frenzy and brought some great potato salad. Signe and her husband had lived in a trailer above us for years every summer at the American Adventure Campground in Mosier. We also ran into them at various windsurfing vacation destinations since. Their daughter worked for a local shop and met Chris and bought a home where Signe is living now when she is at the Gorge. She and her husband live in Seattle so it is not so far to come even for a week end. It didn't take long for the children to eat and as soon as they were done they went to play in the playground. It didn't take long for us to wrap everything up either as it was getting quite chilly. We decided to meet at the new Art Center where local musicians were playing. They had asked sawyer to come and play with them. Sawyer is twelve and has already mastered the violin playing mostly bluegrass. It was a treat to see him perform especially among the veteran musicians in the group.

For our farewell dinner, Kane suggested we eat the Taqueria, a popular Mexican restaurant nearby. He suggested we all ride bikes, but John and I said we would take our can and meet them there. We got there first and got a table so when the bikers arrived we were already sitting waiting for them. The food was excellent and with a round of Margaritas we were feeling pretty good. We gave a toast to Kane for his hospitality as it made our trip pleasant. We all tried out our Spanish and learned a few phrases to sharpen our tongues. As the evening came it got a bit chilly and I was happy to gather warm clothing from our car for Jake and Berkeley. After dinner the bikers went next door for ice cream and John and I being full, left for home and some early packing.

The next day we got everything packed up by noon and we planned to leave first since Lynda had some errands to run. When we got near Wenatchee, we called her cell phone and we were surprised she was only about five minutes behind. She said the kids were exhausted and slept the whole distance. After unpacking we went for our last send off dinner to our favorite Italian restaurant. Everyone was in a great mood and we will take that feeling with us for the rest of the year.

Wenatchee – Where Two Rivers Meet

Wenatchee - Where Two Rivers Meet

We got up early the next day and found another family next to us packing it in as well. A father and two teen-aged sons were taking down their tent. The Dad identified himself as a forty-eight year old attorney of Croatian descent. He recently quit his job working in Las Vegas, for he wanted to spend more time with his sons. His wife is a teacher and still had her job with insurance for the family. Today they were planning a fishing trip and he was excited that he and his sons could do things together this summer.
We got everything in Moby Dick and thought we would check out Peach Beach where many windsurfers stay. We drove by and saw several tents set up close to the water, and along the tents sites there were several sails all rigged up and a few boards lined up ready at a moment's notice. The only thing about Peach Beach, it is a primitive camping sight, though the fence to the State Park facilities was open if someone wanted a quick shower. We drove on and on the other side of the road we saw the fruit stand where we bought cherries and a jar of honey for Lynda and the kids.

Wind mills everywhere!

As we left going to Yakima we saw a daisy chain of wind turbines stretching as far as the eye could see throughout the hills towards Yakima. I guess that tells you that there is a great deal of wind in this area. Soon we came near Yakima, the Palm Desert of Washington, and saw several casinos operated by Yakima Indian tribes. This area is also known for agriculture growing vegetables such as asparagus. As we passed Yakima we noticed the far off mountains that told us we were getting near. We stopped at a rest spot and took our pictures with Mt. Adams, and Mt Rainier. We finished our trip by going down Blewett Pass. We couldn't imagine going down it in a bike with the steep turns, yet we saw at least five people were coming and going on the pass. This tells you a little about the kind of people that live here including Lynda.
 
 We left the pass behind and began to see some familiar sights nearing Wenatchee, one being the river which was running fast and furiously due to the melting snows. We realized why our son loved this part of the world with the mountains nearby, rivers to fish and play in and the changing seasons bringing new adventures with each changing season. He couldn't get enough of life living life to the fullest each season either biking, swimming, cross country skiing, downhill skiing and enjoying his family with every experience. He and Lynda had a nurtured a great group of friends about their age who shared in many activities. Lynda surprised us with a gathering of these many friends that evening when we arrived at her home. They began coming late in the afternoon with dishes to share and before long there were people everywhere. It was like a home coming for us since we had met all of them the year before for our son's Celebration of life

Berkeley attemps the jump

Children were a big part of the life of most of the families. We saw many of them at the children's soccer games and swim meets, and Montessori School, and since everyone brought their children to the party, they were everywhere! In the back yard the enclosed trampoline was set up beneath the lanai which make a perfect place to launch oneself onto the trampoline below. Berkeley and Jake, our dare devil grandchildren, were eager to show everyone how it was done. In case of a bad landing, John positioned himself on kick ball the inside edge of the trampoline to help out the jumper. Another group played games out in front with Red Rover being the game of choice after Kick Ball and Kick the Can. To keep things going smoothly, some mothers entered the game. It was a wonderful day of socializing, renewing friendships, and continued support of Lynda.


The next day was devoted to swimming. Both Berkeley and Jake had swimming practice in the morning and a meet that evening. We drove to the Wenatchee Racket and Athletic Club to watch swim practice. It was amazing how much the youngsters improved in their swimming skills from last year. The most obvious reason for improvement is the actual lengthening out of their bodies. Neither of them had baby fat and they looked lean and mean! Knowing how to finish a race was an improvement as well. There was a time when Jake would dive to the bottom of the pool at the end of the race and it was fun to watch the timers get up from their chairs and look down to see if he touched the side of the pool at the bottom. Now he made a point of touching on top. Today he was learning the flip turn and exhaling on the turn so he wouldn't get water in his nose.
Berkeley also showed great improvement by being able to swim 25 yards in a straight line. Last year I remember she had a tendency to meander from side to side losing a lot of time. Being six she has had to compete with girls older in the eight and under group. Today the 8s were working on breathing by turning the head instead of lifting the upper body out of the water. Berkeley also made great strides in listening and following her coach's directions. Last year she was a little social bug and was just happy to be there with her friends.
To prepare for the evening meet Lynda began gathering items and putting them in a back pack: goggles, cap, team swimsuit and a warm bathrobe for in between races. She then got another large bag and filled it with blankets, toys, food , and water bottles. Everything was but into the car including the kids and dog and off we went to the near-by high school. There we set up camp on the next to the building outside. We spread our blanket on the lawn and sent the kids to get dressed and marked. Meanwhile, John and I took the opportunity to take Oreo, the standard poodle, for a jog around the track. Boy, did we feel out of shape. Although we were trying to keep up with our fitness, it was hard to keep our workout schedule when you are traveling. After a mile and a half and breathing hard, we returned to the camp to see how things were going for the meet.
We looked for Jake and Berkeley and they were gathered with the rest of the team listening to last minute instructions. We could see that their right arms were marked with felt pen all the way up their forearms. They had a series of numbers referring to their participating races. By the list of their arms, we could see that this would be a long meet. It was now five and we were hoping to be home by nine. We stood and watched the groups of swimmers line up and sit on their benches. Before long John and I were recruited to be timers. We were used to doing meets when our son Ted was a swimmer at this same age, so it all came back to us. Soon the meet began and the starter called out the races. Time went fast and in some cases the races were combined because there were few participants. Our main concern was not being splashed by swimmers as they dived in since we were seated behind the starting platforms. Lynda on the other hand was busy being cheer leader for our kids. We knew when Jake and Berkeley were in a race as we would see Lynda at the end line cheering them on. When it got down to the relays we could see how the enthusiasm was peaked. Both Jake and Berkeley were concentrating on the races. We saw Jake do his free style with long arms and keeping his head in the water breathing only on four strokes. It was a thrilling finish. When they got home the kids hit the pillow and were sound asleep.
The next day Lynda had to work at the clinic so we got the opportunity to have the kids to ourselves! We had plans to take them to Leavenworth where we would play miniature golf. John was excited as it was the closest he would get to a golf course. So we got up as Lynda was leaving out the door on her bike so we would be able to use the car. At breakfast we talked about our plan for the day. Both Jake and Berkeley had plans on using their allowance in their piggy banks to buy something special. Jake wanted a stuffed beaver that he wanted to adopt through a program on the internet. The little critter would be found at the Academic Athletic store. Berkeley wanted a specific doll at Target. They said they had enough money so we got into the car. When we got to the Academic store we found that we were about half an hour early, so as an alternative we decided to go to the clinic and see if I could find a friend whom I knew through a folk dance friend of mine. The kids thought that was a great Idea as they could see their Mom at work.
We went to the clinic and got in the elevator to the second floor and got to see Mom in her Blues getting ready for work. She was surprised and overjoyed to see us and introduced us to the other nurses on the staff. We then said our good-byes and went down stairs to find my friend. I had not met her in person but found out she was related as a sister of one of my folk dancing friends. It was quite a coincidence so I thought I would make the acquaintance. When she stepped out to the lobby there was not a mistake that they were sisters. We had a pleasant conversation and planned to stay in touch.
By the time we left the clinic it was ten. As we approached Target we were reassured by Berkeley that she knew exactly what she wanted and she would only take a few minutes. So John left us in front of the store and Berkeley and I hopped out and ran into the store. I knew John had the timer on so we had to hurry. Berkeley knew just where to go and I followed her as she dashed to the toy department. We got to the doll section and she picked out a brunette equestrian beauty. I suggested she count her money to see if she had enough. The doll cost thirty dollars plus tax. So Berkeley counted her dollars to $23 then her change which brought her to $27. It was plain she did not have enough. I told her she had two options: come back when she had enough money or choose another doll that was worth less. She took the second option and found Jenny, a blond preppy doll. Happily, with doll in hand, she went to the clerk who counted the right amount and gave her change. She placed it in her piggy jar and we walked out three dollars in change jingling in the jar.


Now it was time for Jake to rob his piggy jar and get his most prized possession for the immediate future. We drove to the Academic Acrobat store where we already found a few cars in front of the store. Jake also knew were to go to find his new critter which happened to be a stuffed beaver. Using the computer he would find the site for then enter in his new "pet" and register it by name, and then would build a home and supply it with furniture, etc. Specialty stores like this one loved this promotion. Several other kids were there trying to choose from a large selection of ''stuffies.'' We were lucky that Jake already had his in mind. He went to the counter and took the amount he needed then put the lid back on this Piggie Jar. Happily hugging his new adoptee with its white teeth hanging out, Jake led us out to the car.

Yes, Moms can play too!

Grandpa John with Berkeley playing the car game

Jake and Berkeley playing the car game

Now we were ready to take our trip to the lovely Bavarian town called Leavenworth where Lynda conducts the yearly marathon during October Fest the first week of October. During the winter we came there to do cross country skiing in the golf course. Also we had played golf there and hiked up to a lovely lake a few years past. So we were familiar with the area and soon found the Leavenworth Mini Golf. Our goal for the day was to complete a round without anyone causing a tizzy fit which happened in the past. So far so good, as we advanced to the first tee each clutching our own colored ball and our own putter. Jake being the one who likes to play by the rules established the line-up for turns: Grandpa, Grandma, Jake, and Berkeley. That was fine with everyone except Berkeley who wanted to be first. So we decided that we would have a rotating line up. That worked pretty well most of the time. We decided not to impose the usual rule of the lowest score goes first as it might not work out too well for everyone. It was amazing that there were no flare ups and we even complemented each other on our play. We also overlooked a few rules like stopping the ball if it was going to roll forever, or moving the ball if there was no way to get a back swing. We also went lenient on the score, so if a person scored more than seven that was the final score and you could pick up. That kept the game moving and everyone was good with that. In Jake's eyes his mom, Lynda, was the perennial winner as she had hit at least three holes in one the last time they played.

Berkeley counting her tickets

Jake getting ready to count his tickets

We all were now ready for lunch, so we went in and ordered. While we waited for our meal John and I were happy to sit and watch Maria Sharapova compete in the semi-finals of Wimbledon on the big jumbo screen. We gave Jake and Berkeley five dollars to play video and skill games for tickets that could be traded in for goodies at the redeemer counter. After lunch it was time to count tickets. Berkeley brought in about 235 tickets! We asked her how she got so many, and she replied, "I don't know. They just kept coming out!" She grabbed her bundle of tickets and went to choose her prize. Jake came over and we helped him count out his tickets to 130. He played more skill games that made you work harder for tickets. He knew just what he wanted and grabbed his swarm of tickets and went to talk to the clerk. Berkeley came back with a lovely necklace that she fastened herself, and Jake came back with a pink smash pig. Jake demonstrated how the pig worked. He stepped back and threw it on the table with all his might. The pig went SPLAT! It became a pink blobby mess on the table, then suddenly before our eyes it slowly drew back into its own shape again, smiling like a happy pig. Wow, what will they think of next? Jake was so enthusiastic that he kept smashing his pig over and over squealing with glee! He drew his arm back for one more throw and spat! The goo started oozing all over the table. It was not a happy pig. Jake couldn't believe that it would fall apart like that. Berkeley saw the sad expression on his face and grabbed the mess on the table and took it to the clerk. In a minute she was back with a brand new pig! "Here, Jake. Here is a new one, just don't throw it so hard." Jake took the pink pig and a smile spread across his face. "Thanks!" he said. Everyone was happy when we left, even Maria Sharapova who had won her match.

Mary, John, Peter, Moses, Lynda, and Judith

That evening the kids were going to a sleep over at a friend's house in East Wenatchee for a birthday party. A perfect opportunity to practice sleeping in their sleeping bags in their tent as we had planned to do when we went to Hood River. The sleep over also gave Lynda and us a chance to go to dinner together. It would also give us an opportunity to meet up with Peter and Judith who visit Sarasota every year when they visit Judith's father on Longboat Key. The restaurant is a favorite with all the athletes and bicycle enthusiasts. On the walls are black and white pictures of the Tour de France of past years. The food is Italian and with great pizzas as well as pasta dishes. We ordered a pizza and salads while we waited Judith showed up and it was great to see her. Last October they had invited us to their home which is surrounded by her garden and pens for goats and chickens. She is a great cook and had cooked us a wonderful pumpkin soup with home-made bread and fresh salad. It was divine and made right from her garden! As our drinks arrived so did Peter and their son Moses. They had been dirt biking and still wore their bike gear. They fit right in with the casual restaurant atmosphere. They also ordered a pizza and we got into talking about bike trails and the biking we were planning to do in Hood River. Judith told us about the trip she and Moses and daughter Hadassah were planning to take to Costa Rica to study turtles. Lynda had an opportunity to tell her about her experience to Costa Rica when she took Jake and Berkeley last spring. They were excited about our cross country venture and our trip to Hood River. Life seemed pretty exciting!

 

There is a special relationship that the children have with friends next door. Actually Olivia and Ely live over the adjacent fence and to get to each other's homes, the children have to go over the fence. The swimming pool ladders on both sides of the fence seem to work pretty well even if Lynda had to go over the fence to check on her kids or Shelly had to do the same. During our stay, Shelly took us to a friend's home that has a pool and we had a pool party. Her friend is a reading teacher who went to Orlando to Disneyworld. In no time at all everyone was in the pool making good use of the slide. Both Ely and Olivia are very inventive as are Jake and Berkeley so they devised all sorts of ways to go down the slide: Forward, backward, head first, head first on the back, two piggy back, etc. Then there were games where you catch a thrown object just as you launch off the slide. It was great watching the antics of all four of them playing together. They were such good friends that they were all seemingly part of the family. I could see that they would miss each other when we all we leave for Hood River the next day.

   

 

Mary Hill State Park – Gateway to the Gorge

We left the Dunes by way of Mountain Home out of curiosity to see the town where our young friends from the night before came from. We discovered that Mountain Home was sizeable town on both sides of the highway. This was another nice discovery!

We passed Boise and headed toward Oregon. The terrain was flat surrounded by hills in the far distance. IT wasn't hard to believe this was part of an inland sea called the Bonneville Lake. The closer we got to the hills it was clear that this was an inland sea by the water line still easy to see.

We topped at the welcome center in Oregon and read more about this ancient lake.

While we were gathering literature we met a professor from Pennsylvania that was traveling alone cross country on his bike. He was the second human that was attempting this feat, the other being our young friends from Maine. Dr. Dave Hill had made it all the way across the country staying at motels. We were fascinated that at the age of 62 he was doing very well. He was planning to meet his wife in Portland, then would fly back to Pennsylvania together. He was relating to his friends through e-mail on his smart phone and his ride was part of a fund raiser for under privilege kids. His bike was a touring bike with thick tires and some spare ones on his pack. He had extra clothing in case of rain and ten gears to help him get up hills. At this time he was headed toward the nearest town for a few rest days and then he would be off traveling the same route we were about to take. We wished him good luck as he got on his bike and sped down the hill.

Soon we were nearing the Gorge and the closer we got the more wind mills we saw on the hills. By the time we rounded the corner it looked like giant, white daisies were in bloom all over the hills as far as the eyes could see. They were however, absolutely still as the weather was warm and the wind was not blowing at all. This was not good news as we wanted to do some windsurfing that evening, and the river was as flat as glass.

We stopped by the park office to get our site. We wanted a site with water and electricity and they gave us an RV site on a corner which was not good. First of all, it meant that we had to pitch our tent on gravel and out in the open we would have little privacy. So we scouted around and found a cozy site in the tent area without water or electricity. We weight the odds and figured we could do without internet that evening and we could blow up our mattresses using the bathroom electricity. It worked and soon we had our tent pitched and headed for the showers. This being a State Park we found that showers cost a quarter for three minutes. We were out of quarters so we had to go over the bridge to the trucker's stand and get quarters. We waited in line with the rest of the truckers and I happened to tell one our predicament. He said that the trucker stand had a shower and he was willing to let me have his cupons to shower there. I said thanks but I just needed some quarters to shower at the camp site. We finally got to the front of the line and the clerk said she could only give us one dollar's work of quarters. Great! That would be six minutes in the shower! We took our precious quarters and got back to the camp.

Timing was everything with taking a shower at this camp and after our long ride I really needed one. So I got into the cubicle and pushed my quarter in and jumped into a freezing shower and jumped right out, Yiiiiow! Finally, after a minute the shower started getting warm and I jumped in again. I figured I had at least a minute and a half and then three more minutes with my other precious quarter. The water started getting hotter and I went to the knob to get some lukewarm water, but NO! The water kept getting hotter and hotter. I was all soapy and Yiiiaow! I had to rinse with boiling water! Enough of this! I jumped out as the steam was getting filling the cubicle. I quickly dried and got dressed, brushed my teeth and jumped out of the @#%**# bathroom. A day in the life of a camper!

Bruneau Dunes, Idaho

We left beautiful Park City and the lovely Landmark Inn and got ready to tent for the next two days. We headed north toward Boise, Idaho. We didn't want to spend a night in Boise but try someplace new. Boise had always been our mid stop between Salt Lake and Hood River for ten summers when we lived in Salt Lake City. So we checked the map and found Bruneau Dunes State Park. It has an observatory to check the heavens. There are high dunes and lakes in the park as well. So we drove happily listening to mountain music provided by the group we heard in Park City called The Milk Drive. Their CD was Road from Home. They played original songs accompanied by guitar and fiddle. This was perfect music heading to the dunes.

There are two ways to get to the dunes off I86, through Hemmet or Mountain Home. We were closed to Hemmet so we drove into this hamlet and talked to some of the locals. They gave directions and we went on our way. We drove, and drove, and drove around finally getting close to what looked like dunes. Then suddenly, there it was: a lovely campsite with bathrooms, showers and lovely cottonwood trees. We drove around the campground and found our side with our name on it. So we decided to set up camp and then explore the area. On a trip to the bathroom I ran into another camper who had also just arrived. Betty was from Boston. She and her husband had flown into Flagstaff, Arizona. They requested a four wheel drive Jeep at the rental car service and after some delay managed to get their all- terrain vehicle. Craig, her husband, was into searching for turquoise stone. He had research where he could find the rock throughout the west as many Native Americans have for centuries. They were teachers: he a history professor and she a fourth grade teacher. Their two daughters left home after college and now here they were the two of them going on adventures during their summer vacation. They looked for out of the way to camp and they found the Dunes to their liking. They went off to get their camp ready and we went off to check out the observatory.

Here in the middle of nowhere there was an observatory to study the heavens. Since today was Monday, it was not opened. On Fridays and Saturdays there is a class to learn how to find the constellations and a chance to view through the telescope. There was also a curriculum to study animal tracks. On a paved circle several samples of animal tacks were made and a sign ask to identify them. We had fun checking these out and discovered that in this seemingly desolate place there indeed was a great deal of animal life. We then went on to the pier to see if any fish were biting. We saw two people we fishing and thought both were men until we started taking to them. The lady was much bigger than the man and was the one that answered all the questions. They didn't seem very friendly when we asked them about all sorts of fishing questions. Maybe it was because they had spent all day and hadn't caught anything big enough to keep or maybe because the man-eating mosquitos were attacking. We decided to leave them and go hike to the Dunes.

The sun was getting low in the sky so we jogged to the Dunes in order to see the sun set from the top. There were a string of people at the top sitting, talking, laughing and having a good time. We saw the only way to get there was to begin walking up the soft sand. It was so soft that you took one step and sunk into the soft sand. So it took some good arduous strides to make it to the top. There we were greeted by some young people from the near- by city of Mountain Home. They were on summer vacation and decided to reunite at the Dunes where they frequently used to gather when they were in school before going away to college or other ventures. Several of them were home schooled and came to the observatory for projects. They also used the internet to take classes on line. I guess they were pretty much like many students today that are finding a way to get educated without the need for formal school. Some of them made the comment that they would have had to travel a long way to get to school in pretty in climate weather and it was easier to get the curriculum and research it at home via the internet. I found this information most interesting in the way the World Wide Web was changing things. Take Wikipedia for instance, a few years ago my IB students could not use it as a reference but this year, the International Baccalaureate Committee approved it because it is the most up to date encyclopedia around. All you have to do is to look at the Work Book 2000 edition and it will tell you Pluto is a planet which everyone now knows that we no longer have 9 planets in our solar system but 8! So here you have it!

The sun set was spectacular and as the sun went down it became suddenly chilly. We all decided to scramble down the dunes at once and it was great fun trying to get down as fast as possible as our feet sunk deep into the sand. We didn't stop at the bottom but continued to run as the man-eating mosquitos were waiting for us as a Thanksgiving Day Feast! The kids quickly got into their cars and sped off waving good-bye. We got to our tent and zipped it shut still hearing the buzzing all about and since we did not put our rain cover on we could see them buzzing above. Soon, however, night came and we were in awe at the beauty of the stars above. We identified the big dipper and the northern star. The night was so bright without any of the city lights that you could almost see the strands of the Milky Way. I put on Louis Holtz, Planets on my IPOD speakers, and we lay in bed listening to this outstanding piece of music as we watched the twinkling of thousands of stars.

 

Our trip - Part II

Summer Adventure Part II (Changes are due to the fact that we wanted to see Mt. Rushmore)

7/10 - Spokane
7/11 - Missoula
7/12 - Bozeman
7/13 - 14 Yellowstone
7/15 - Billings
7/16 - Sherudan
7/17 - Deadwood, S.Dakota
7/18 - Kennebec, S. Dakota
7/19 - Soux Falls, S. Dakota.
7/20 - Rochester, Minn.
7/21 - Madison
7/22 - 23 -Chicago
7/ 24-25 - Cleveland, Ohio
7/26 - 27 Gettisburg, Pen.
7/28 - 29 -Philadelphia
7/30 -31 Washington DC
8/1 -Chesapeake -Virginia
8/2-4 Cape Hettaras, North Carolina
8/5- Durham, North Carolina
8/6 - Buford, South Carolina
8/7-8, HIlton Head,South Carolina
8/9- St. Augustine
8/10 - Orlando-Universal Pic., Harry Potter
8/11 - Bradenton-Home

Salt Lake City and Park City Wonderland!






Gateway Center Olympic Plaque

We decided to bypass Moab this trip as it would have been out of our way and we would have only gotten to spend a day there. We really needed a week, so we would have to catch it on another trip. Onward to Salt Lake City where we had lived for thirteen years before we moved to Florida in 1997. We were anxious to see how much it had changed and how the Olympics of 2002 made a permanent impression.
It felt good to be in Salt Lake City again. The mountains were as majestic as we remembered them still with some snow left from the heavy winter show blast. What we found extremely different was the growth depicted by the freeway traffic. We found this when we had to go to City Center Gateway Mall where all the main stores are found. We were looking for the mother of all Apple stores in hope that they would have a Shuffle charger so that John would be able to enjoy some tunes when he ran. We thought it was going to be a simple trek down the freeway. What we did not anticipate was an accident on the six lane freeway that would have us in a car log jam for an hour and half. Also our poor planning didn't help with us going at five during the rush hour. We didn't get a whole lot of cooperation from other drivers who saw our windsurfers and bikes and our Florida license plate. Somehow we managed to get down town.

We drove by the Salt Palace where the Jazz basketball games used to be played. There were two bronze statues of two basketball players and we could only surmise that they were Carl Malone and John Stockton who were at their height when we were here before. To our surprise they even named one of the streets, Carl Malone Blvd. Rounding the corner we found parking and strolled to the waterpark. Kids were all around getting splashed by the sudden sprinkler jets that would pop up at different moments all around the plaza. The surprise splashes sent squeals of laughter among the groups of kids as they danced about while parents took pictures and a jazz band played nearby. We found the plaque commemorating the organizers of the 2002 Olympics and had John pose next to it.

We found the Apple store right across the street, and as we walked in we found it full of people looking at the latest innovations put out by Apple. The most interest was IPAD. The clerk demonstrated all the aps for an eager crowd ready to shell out $500 for one. We found a clerk and asked if he could find a charger for the latest Shuffle. We led us to the back where we looked for the tiny Shuffle adjustment and could not find one. He then looked in the back room for about 15 minutes. We thought he was taking his dinner break until he came back and told us that there were none there and he would have to order some. He said they would be there next week. We said thanks but we were leaving tomorrow. So John would ha to do without his music for this trip.

We decided to avoid the freeway and go via the high road in hopes of having time to take a ride to the canyons. Since Lynda family lives near the canyon road, we planned to stop by and pay a visit. John miraculously found exactly where they lived and drove up to their home at the end of the col-de-sac. We found Dad at home just ready to mow the lawn and Mom was about doing errands. He called and left a message in hoped she had taken her phone with her. Suddenly we heard the "Charge of the Light Brigade" and Dad said, "Nope, she must have left her phone at home". So we said that we could visit another friend and be back in an hour when she would most likely be back. We then drove to Sandy a community in the South part of the valley where I once taught Middle school. We gave the Garmin girl the address and let her lead us to Henry Vogel's house. He lived in a stylish mobile home community near Draper. Henry met John when they worked at East High School in 1987. He taught ROTC as he was a Sargent Major in the Army. Henry was from Germany and still has a slight accent from his youth. We became friends through skiing and windsurfing as he was very active and always eager to live on the edge. We talked about old times and how we plan to try new ventures in the future. He always told such funny stories that would make us laugh and have a good time.



Ron, Mary, and Julie



Ron, John, and Julie

We left Henry and rode up toward the canyon to meet with Lynda's parents. We remembered an easier way to get there than the route given us by the Garmin Girl, and we arrived at the Johnson's home in half the time. Ron and Julie greeted us at the door and invited us in. We sat and discussed our trip so far and were happy that they had followed the blog and were up to date on all our adventures. We got on the subject of Kentucky Fried Chicken and told them how we had looked for the first one that opened in Salt Lake City. Ron then told us how he had been one of the first workers back in his college years and when he had to measure out the secret formula to mix with the batter. This formula is closely guarded to this day and present day franchises are given the mixture already mixed. So Ron may hold that secret to this day though with the large portions thrown in at a rapid pace, the exact measurements would be hard to reproduce. Ron did add that in his recent trip to China, he observed that there was a KFC on every corner and it is very popular with the Chinese. So it is safe to say that KFC will be around for a while. We spent another enjoyable session with the Johnson's chatting about Lynda and our grandchildren and other pleasantries. We then said our good-bye as we left Salt Lake and rode to Park City.



I need a drink!

The drive to Park City showed all the improvements made for the Winter Olympics in 2002. The first ski area as you drive toward Park City was Wolf Mountain. Now there is the ski jump clearly visible from the road. Near this area was where our Best Western Landmark Inn hotel was situated near a new commercial development anchored by MacDonald's, Wal-Mart and Home Depot. Across the street another commercial development with Target and other like department stores. Just like home!

We made it to our 48th Wedding Anniversary!

 We checked in to our hotel and got ready to go to a night on the town to celebrate our 48^th wedding anniversary. When I mentioned this event to friends before leaving on this ventured, some said that it should be pending if we were still talking to each other by then. Well we are and having a great time to boot! It was early evening when we drove into the festive town of Park City. We drove up Main Street with restaurants doing great business, lots of people walking all around enjoying the hanging blooms all up and down the streets. We parked and joined the strollers checking out restaurants and quaint, trendy shops. We passed by the Egyptian Theater where the Sundance Film Festival is held every year in late January. Down the street an open stage exhibited a group of musicians playing blue grass mountain music. A crowd gathered and gave an appreciative response when they finished a set. The open air restaurant across the street seemed like a great place to dine and listen to live music, so we settled in and checked the menu. The Bistro had unusual entrees. We ordered a salad with five varieties of greens, nuts, and berries. For the entrée we went with the pork tenderloin, asparagus and sweet potatoes. To celebrate, John ordered a bottle of white, Washington wine. Perfect: Good music, good food, good wine, and good company. What could be better! 

Main Street Park City



A couple next to us had their Labrador Retriever named Sandy tied to the fence post gathering lots of praise from people passing by. We got to talking to them and found that they lived in Sausalito and he commuted to Palo Alto to work in the computer business, and recently had relocated to Park City. He commuted to Draper to do a computer project. They could have found a place in Salt Lake but they wanted to say they lived in Park City in spite of the huge commute. They were on their third martini and enjoying life with Sandy helping them to make new friends. We left them when their entrée arrived and walked to a pub getting ready to the evening's entertainment at ten in the evening. John ordered a stinger and got into a conversation cute girl with tattoos and body piercings as I watched the band called the Irish Brogue get their gear wired up for the performance. The tattoo girl was a ski racer and knew the ski racing group of the 2002 Olympics. She talked a lot about Body Miller. John commented that he had read Body Miller's autobiography. So they got into talking about Body the ski racer, tennis player, and how he grew up in the woods. Meanwhile, the band was still getting their act together not yet tuning up. It would have taken at least five stingers before they hit their first song. I decided it was time to go so I gave John the GO sign and we departed to our hotel after a lovely evening smelling the pine in the air and the fragrance of blossoms everywhere.



Riding the Bike Trail in Park City



The next morning we wanted to get an early start and do some of the bike trails in town. We were surprised by a full complimentary buffet breakfast. We were also surprised by the number of kids in the breakfast area. Each family had at least five or more children and they were everywhere. We should have expected this as we were in Utah a state with the lowest average population. We had a satisfying meal and set off to find some trails. We went to the local bike shop in town to get some maps and found some trails that were good for road bikes but the most interesting ones were for mountain bikes. It was explained to us that most road bikes go on the street and share the road with the cars. That was great for locals but not for visitors. So we did a short bike hike and finished it with a run through some stylish neighborhoods.



Mary and Jenny



When we returned to the bike shop, White Pines Touring, we asked them for advice regarding our Yakima Rocket Box. They carried Yakima products and maybe they could shed light into what had happened to our lock. Jenny took us under her wing and followed us to our car to see if she could fix the lock. She was persistent but alas after a half hour, she came to the conclusion that we had gotten a lemon and that the best she could to was to sell us a new lock for thirty-five dollars. John said no thanks that the straps would work for the rest of the trip, and we would demand a new lock at the end of our travels when we got back to Tampa. For her trouble though, we wanted to take her picture for our blog and advertise her shop, White Pines Touring as they supply skis in the winter and bikes in the summer.

Alpine Slide



Riding up the chair lift is such a treat!

 After lunch we were ready to do some gravity games. We went up to the Park City Ski Plaza where the ski chairs were being used for the Alpine Slide, Roller Coaster, and Zip Line. We had time to do two and chose The Alpine Slide and the Zip Line. We got in line for the Alpine Slide and it did not take long as they were using the large six person chair lifts. The ride up the mountain was a thrill enough as we slowly ascended almost to the top of the Pay Day lift. The view was spectacular on such a clear, beautiful day. At the top we were told to step off the chair and quickly round the corner so as not to be hit by the chair as it made its way around to descend on its way back. Having skied for many years this was not a problem but some people had to be helped to get out of the way. We then took our sleds to the starting position and waited for instructions. First we had to turn our hats backwards like the boys in the hood so as not to let them fly during the slide. Then we were told to not race and to use the break on rounding corners, finally to lay off the break at the end which would stop the sled before the end causing anyone behind you to crash into you. So we were off! John left like a bat out of hell and disappeared around the bend. I was on another track and was concentrating on braking around the corners and just making it down in one piece. When we finally met at the end, John said he had lost his hat in spite of turning it around. Then we heard a voice from the cart behind John's, "Did anyone lose a hat? This got caught under my sled." And the lady produced John's mangled, dirty, grimy Titleist hat that had seen better times on the golf course. "Oh my hat!" exclaimed John as he hit it against the fence post a few times and put it on his head with a grin.

After that experience we treated ourselves to an ice cream cone and went into the lounge to relax. We were told that we would have to wait an hour for the zip line as they only let two people go at a time so we headed for the lounge. The lounge chairs were so comfortable that it didn't take long for us to take a power nap after eating our fill. We slowly got up an hour after our nap and joined the long line for the chair lift. As we were waiting in line it didn't take long for John to spot an interesting group of girls up ahead all wearing blue-aqua bandanas on their heads. I could see he was having a great time with this group laughing; they pointing at his hat and he pointing at their bandanas. So I asked the people behind me to hold my place in line and went up to the group. John introduced me and said that the group of girls came from the Czech Republic and were sponsored by NuSkin, a facial cream conglomerate from Salt Lake City. Apparently, NuSkin was going to introduce their products in Europe and these young girls were to be trained to do so. Today, however, was their day of fun and they were sure enjoying themselves.

John talking to the Czeck Girls



Ski runs - a view from the chair lift

We finally made it to the top of the hill but noticed the long queue at the Zip line. We made many friends in the next hour of waiting. The group in front of us was a church group from northern Idaho. They entertained us by playing Simon Says, and people behind us sang risqué songs with everyone joining in. By the time we were near the front, we joined in the hoopla when the next two victims were pushed off the edge and disappeared down the mountain screaming or yelling. By the time it was our turn, we were ready for the plunge. Safe in the harness, we dropped approximately thirty yards then ascended peacefully until snagged at the end. It was a nice little thrill and worth the long wait. All in all, we had packed everything we wanted into this day and returned to our hotel tired but well satisfied and pleased with ourselves.

Launching the Zip Line!