Michael and Sara’s Wedding

Posted on June 6, 2014 by admin

Nephew, Michael, was getting married on May 16th at the White Star Park in Fremont, OH so I left on Tuesday, the 13th, heading to the home of the groom’s parents, Lynda and Jim. My plans were to get to their home on the 14th by early afternoon so I drove for about 4 hours and stopped at the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Ottawa, IL for the evening. Upon the recommendation of the staff at the inn, I had dinner at Woody’s Steakhouse which was excellent both in food quality and service.

On the 14th, I left the hotel good time and was pleased to discover the traffic around Chicago was not bad; all the years of road work around the area has finally paid off! Because of the good start, I arrived at Lynda’s around noon their time. The rest of the day and evening was spent visiting with Lynda, Jim, and niece Allison who had flown in from Texas. Allison will be getting married in July so Lynda and Jim are experiencing both of their children weddings within two months of each other!

The next morning we had breakfast and then got ready for a shopping excursion at a nearby town called Defiance. Sister Sarah, from Adrian, MI, joined us. While going from one shop to another, we ran into Michael. Since it had been years since I had seen him, it was great to talk to him and see how happy he seems to be. We had lunch at Kissner’s, the restaurant where Michael and Sara first met. Because of having to be at the rehearsal by 4:30, after seeing sister Sarah off, we got ready and left for the park. Upon arrival, we discovered everyone was going to be late except Michael and the wedding coordinator. What a cold, drippy evening! Once everyone arrived, the rehearsal began. When it was over, everyone drove to the Residence Inn where the wedding party and out-of-town guests were staying; a rehearsal buffet had been set up.

Waiting

Stand here?

The happy couple

That’s funny!

Sara, keep warm!

Jim at the buffet

The morning of the wedding, Lynda and I went back to Defiance to return an article of clothing I had purchased the day before. When we arrived back at Lynda’s, Linda and Mike Morley arrived from Niles, MI. They have been friends of Lynda and Jim for years and years. We had lunch and then got ready for the wedding. Since my vehicle had the most room, we took it with Jim as the designated driver. First stop was at Michael’s where Jim, the best man, helped Michael with his tie. Second stop was the park for the wedding whose theme was based on Moonrise Kingdom, the first film Michael and Sara saw together and related to. Many of the guests came dressed from the time period of the movie. Third stop was the reception which was held at Ole Zimm’s Wagon Shed in Gibsonburg, OH.

Friends

Dad “teaching”

Cool Ties!

Groom & Mom

Bertholds & Groom

Groom’s Shoes

Mom with friend

Allison

Father & Bride

Coming Together

Wedding Party

Mr. & Mrs. Barnes

Neat wedding cake

Cousins

Newlywed Table

First Dance

The morning of the 17th, Linda/Lynda/myself drove to Adrian in order to visit with Sarah and Mike. After lunch at El Chaps, a Mexican restaurant, we went to see niece Jana and her family. I had never seen her youngest son, Joey, who is 2 years old and full of energy. Daughter, Megan, is 6 and seems very mature for her age. Upon leaving the Schutte residence, Mike provided us with a tour of Adrian. And we just had to shop at a couple stores! When we returned to Lynda’s, the Morleys decided to spend another night. We went out to eat at Mom’s Diner in Archbold. Since I was leaving early in the morning, I said my “good byes” to Allison and Mike/Linda.

After a cup of coffee and ‘good bye’ hugs from Lynda & Jim, I headed to the toll road and drove west. Stopped for lunch at Wise Guy’s Grill in Princeton, IL. Got home about 2:30 central time. It was a great trip! I am so glad of the relationship I have with Tom’s family and it was wonderful to spend time with them. My new vehicle, Subaru Forrester) drove well and averaged 33.1 mpg. The wedding and reception was based on the Moonrise Kingdom theme; it was casual, fun for all, and it was great to see how happy Michael is with his new bride…I hope they have a many years of happiness as Tom and I did.

Savanna’s First Birthday Trip

Posted on May 28, 2014 by admin

From April 20 thru the 29th, I drove to Tucson and back in order to be there on Savanna’s first birthday. Since this is the first driving trip of such distance where I drove it by myself, it was interesting to discover I really enjoyed it!

April 20: Beauty and Cutie decided to pull over the trash can in the bathroom at 4:30 a.m. so I did not have to worry about waking up early enough to get an early start; I left my property at 7:00 a.m. As I approached Kansas City, I noticed the cottonwoods were blooming and I became excited about seeing colors besides the brownish/green back home. Stopped for lunch at Perkins in Gardner, KS. Very uneventful day with some rain drops in Kansas. After driving 9.5 hours and 610 miles, I stopped for the night at Best Western Night Watchman Inn located in Greensburg, KS. Upon checking in, I found out the town only has ONE sit down restaurant and it was closed because of it being Easter. There was a deli at a local gas station where I purchased a chicken sandwich plus raw vegetable tray that I ate in my room. Spent the evening reading, sipping on wine, and watching some TV. Tomorrow I am heading to Alamogordo, NM.

April 21: Left the hotel about 7:00 and headed south on Highway 54. Today I crossed four states; Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. The terrain was the same in all the states except New Mexico where there were hills. I saw lots of irrigation equipment in fields, cattle either in pastures or lots, wind energy towers, and tumbleweed flying across the road in front of me. And only in Texas does the speed limit for narrow two lane roads be 75 mph. Had lunch at Tucumcari, NM at Denny’s and filled up with gas. The “Road Work Ahead” signs were out in force in New Mexico. On my way into Alamogordo, I stopped at a couple pistachio farms for shopping and wine tasting. I stayed at Holiday Inn Express and, upon the recommendation of hotel staff, I drove across town to a local establishment called Pepper’s for dinner. It was excellent! Returned to my room, called friend Ginni to discuss our future trip to France, and read. An overall summary of the day found me thinking alot about Tom because we had traveled many of the places I saw when we considered retiring to New Mexico; this brought smiles at the good memories but longing for his company. I traveled a total of 590 miles for 9.5 hours of driving.

Terrain in KS, OK, TX

New Mexico Hills

April 22: Slept late this morning, walked 2.5 miles which felt good because traveling without exercise makes me feel like a Goodyear blimp, showered, had breakfast, and got on the road about 9:30 mountain time. Once I drove onto I10, I went through a Border Patrol checkpoint which is kind of a joke because the patrol looked at me once I had stopped and said “Good morning and have a nice day”. Had lunch at a Subway. Arrived at Steev’s around 2:00 pacific time; as I was driving into Tucson, the temperature was in the mid-90’s so I started up the air conditioner only to discover it was not working. Greta arrived home from work about 2:40 and Steev left for his video shoot which would last through the evening. Sweet Savanna woke up from her nap; she has really grown and changed since Christmas time. I went to the Best Western Royal Sun for check in; they gave me a full suite for the price of a standard room. After unpacking, I returned to Greta’s where she made vegetable pasta plus toss salad for our evening meal; as is usual with Greta’s cooking, it was very good. Greta gave me the address and phone number of where they take their vehicle for auto repair so called and made an appointment to take it in the next day. That evening I made a deal with Savanna: I would read to her if she slept thru the night; she agreed so I read her three different stories with reading one of them four times…it was fun! The evening was so nice temperature wise that we ate and visited on their patio. Savanna fell asleep in her mother’s arms about the same time it hit me that I was tired so went back to the motel quite early. After checking email, I got ready for bed; read in bed briefly before felling asleep. Today I had drove 340 miles and 5 hours; overall trip was 1540 miles with 24 hours of driving. This is the first time in my life that I drove that far on my own; I am proud of my accomplishment!

Let me go Mama

Grandma Reading

Keep reading Grandma

Grandma’s Future Hawkeye

April 23: Woke up shortly after 6:00; before I knew it, it was 7:30 so I quickly got dressed and headed over to Steev’s. After a cup of coffee, I took my car to repair shop with Greta/Steev/Savanna leading the way. After getting the car checked in, they dropped me off at the University so I could walk back to the motel while they headed to the hospital for Savanna’s six month check up. The walk was 1.5 miles to the motel where I had breakfast and showered. Steev picked me up on their way back from the hospital; Greta went to work and the three of us “hung” out at the house. We went to lunch at an Italian deli which was very good. After making a visit to Greta’s place of employment for a short visit, we headed to a splash pad that Savanna had liked in the past but was not excited about it on this visit. On the way back to Steev’s, we picked up my car which they did not fix because it was an air compressor and would of cost +$1200 so I decided to wait until I got home in order for me to be able to discuss the matter with the service folks at the local Nissan dealer. When Greta came home from work, Steev left for another evening of video shooting. The evening was spent having good conversation while playing with Savanna. Upon my return to my room, I read for awhile and went to sleep.

Splash pad fun

Front yard landscape

Chicken Yard

Backyard Garden

April 24: Took a walk and had breakfast at the motel. Went to Steev’s where he made me another great cup of coffee. I watched Savanna while Steev went grocery shopping. We had lunch at the Mexican place on 4th Avenue; Greta was able to join us for some conversation. After lunch, we went to the children’s museum in downtown Tucson; what a great adventure! Savanna especially liked the tunnel with mirrors and pinwheels on the wall. Went back to Steev’s; he did some work while Savanna took a nap and I read. Greta came home and Steev left for his video shoot; Greta went to the bank while I watched Savanna. For dinner, Greta fixed frittata with fresh eggs graciously laid by their chickens. Went back to the motel around 8:30.

The tunnel of mirrors!

Does air do that?

Pinwheels are fun!

Want to be friends?

April 25: Once again I took a walk and had breakfast at the motel. Then I went to Party City to get some pinwheels for Savanna’s birthday party. Did not do much at Steev’s except “hang out”. Steev made lunch and we cleaned up the kitchen afterwards. He worked inside and outside of the house while I read and Savanna napped. In the evening, Greta fixed the pasta salad for the party tomorrow. We went out to eat at the Thai place where we have eaten on previous visits. Back at the motel around 8:30.

Dogs thinking PARTY

The family relaxing

April 26: Today is Savanna’s birthday so I had an early breakfast and headed to Steev’s. After wishing Savanna “Happy Birthday” and getting a cup of coffee, we skyped with Allan & Jeannette who moved back to Ireland the previous Monday. After the call, Greta prepared scones and brownies while I cut up fruit for a salad; these food articles were being taken to the party which was a picnic in a local park. Upon arrival at the park, we spread out blankets and placed the food on a table. Besides Savanna, there were 10 people which included Savanna’s maternal grandmother and husband, Savanna’s brother and cousin on the maternal side, Savanna’s aunt, uncle, and cousin on Greta’s side. Everyone had a good time but especially the kids with trying out the playground equipment, flying kites, blowing bubbles, and spinning pinwheels. Rain came about the time Savanna thought a nap would be good. This evening I said my good-byes to all since I am leaving early in the morning.

Cousin & Savanna

Melon cake

Cake Time

Kite flying

Let’s Play!

Sisters & Savanna

Rainbow @ day’s end

Trying new chair

April 27 – 29: Left Tucson around 7:00 in the morning on the 27th and reached Tucumcari, NM early evening where I registered at the Best Western Discovery Inn. Had my evening meal at K-Bob’s Steakhouse which was across from the hotel. On the 28th, I drove to Ottawa, KS where I stayed at Comfort Inn and ate at Applebee’s next to it. Both of these days proved to be very stressful driving with dust blowing across the interstate causing very poor visibility and VERY high winds which pulled on the steering wheel. It was not until I got into Kansas that dust blowing discontinued. On the 29th, I got on the road good time and made it back home by 1:30 in the afternoon. Beauty and Cutie were happy to see me; I was glad to be home. It was a great trip with lots of time with Savanna…I already miss not being able to hold her, tickle her, and read to her…I’ll just have to make it back to Tucson in another three or so months.

Trip to Arkansas

Posted on April 11, 2014 by admin

On Sunday, March 9th, Mary and Larry Nelson along with myself left Cedar Rapids about 10:30 am for an adventure to Arkansas. In Kansas City we visited the Nelsons former babysitter for about 1.5 hours. Larry, our driver, was not tired so we drove to Joplin, MO where we registered for the night at the Fairfield Inn. Since it was after 8:00 when we stopped, we decided to walk across the street to a pub/grill for a late dinner. We spent the next morning exploring downtown Joplin (there are still areas that have not rebuilt after the tornado which swept through the town a few years ago) and than drove back roads to our destination of Bella Vista, AR where friends Joyce and George Sheldon live. After greeting our friends, we headed to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (crystalbridges.org) located on 120 acres in Bentonville. What an experience! The museum was very well put together and we spent a delightful afternoon walking through it; the sad part was we did not have enough time to spend on the outside walking the various trails and seeing sculptures.

One side of museum to other

Outside sculpture

Nelsons, myself, Sheldons

We did have time to visit the gift shop where I found a birthday present for my grandbaby Savanna. That evening we ate at Gusanos Pizzeria in Bella Vista.

The next morning, March 11th, we had breakfast at a local cafe and then headed to War Eagle Mill located outside of Rogers, AR. It has been located on the site as early as 1832, but was destroyed three times, and last rebuilt in 1973. The mill currently operates as an undershot gristmill, and houses a store and restaurant. After making some purchases and walking the grounds, we headed to Garfield where the Pea Ridge National Military Park is located. The park maintains the battlefield of the 1862 Battle of Pea Ridge. We spent time going through the museum and watched a film which was a re-enactment of activities that transpired months before and through to the battle. The day ended with our taking a self-guided driving tour around the battlefield. On the way back to Bella Vista, we ate at the Whole Hog Cage which is a BBQ place located in Bentonville. It was a very nice, warm day so the evening was spent on the patio off of the Sheldons apartment talking and sipping some wine.

After having coffee on March 12th, we headed for Lake of the Ozarks to visit Linda, a friend of the Nelsons. We had dinner at Shrimp Daddy’s in Sunrise Beach with a single’s group that Linda belongs. The evening was extended with our having a couple drinks at a local bar which was enjoyable. Reservations had been made at the Guest House Inn & Suites at Osage Beach so we headed there once we said “good bye” to Linda. The next morning, after breakfast and checking out of the motel, we did some shopping and had lunch at a French bistro. It was time to head back home; we arrived at the Nelsons around 5:30 or 6:00.

Another good trip which was not very long but long enough that I was happy to get home to Beauty and Cutie.

Off to Visit Sister in Austin, TX

Posted on March 21, 2014 by admin

On February 23, I flew from Cedar Rapids to Austin, TX to visit my sister, Edith, who had 4 days off from her traveling nurse job at a local hospital. After a slow drive due to heavy traffic, we stopped and had dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Los Pinos, not to far from the campground where Edith has parked her camper. Lucky for me, I was able to rent a cabin right across the street from Edith which meant I was able to “visit” with Junior, Midnight, and Mama; these are Edith’s three cats. I have to admit Mama was not a very good hostess; she hissed and hide away every time I came to the camper. The morning of the 24th was warm and sunny. Got an early start because of the distance we wanted to travel that day. We headed for the Wildseed Farm close to Fredericksberg, TX. This is one of my favorite places to visit! I purchased a top and necklace which goes nicely with a skirt I have in my closet. Then we headed to Pipe Creek, TX where we planned on visiting with one of Edith’s old neighbors, Jack. Along the way, we stopped at Luckenbach, TX which is 10 acres that has, as its oldest building, the Post Office-General Store-Bar which opened in 1849 by Minna Engel whose father was an itinerant preacher from Germany. The community, first named Grape Creek, was later named after Minna’s husband Carl Albert Luckenbach. While there, Edith and I were entertained by the bartender who played guitar and sang.

Singer, guitar player, bartender

We arrived at Jack’s around 1:30 in the afternoon and had a very good visit. Since it was warm and sunny, we walked Jack’s yard looking at his cactus gardens and swing/overlook of the valley.

Enjoying view from swing at overlook

Jack’s cactus garden

Jack and Edith

On our way back home, we stopped for dinner at a brew pub in Johnson City. Arrived home and, after visiting with Midnight/Junior, headed back to the cabin to read and prepare for the next day’s activity of shopping at two huge outlet centers along with visiting Sam (Edith’s grandson) and his family.

Woke up on the 25th to light rain and cold temperature of 47; not the type of weather I expected for Austin. After having coffee, we headed to the San Marcos Premium Outlets and Tanger Outlet Center; these outlets are on the same side of the road but separated by a street. The rain did not let up and the temperature did not get higher throughout the day. But we did have a good time shopping. We ate lunch at a Mexican restaurant located by the outlet centers. When we got back to the Austin area we traveled to Sam’s apartment to see him and his children, Cameron and Autumn. Sam is my great nephew.

Grandma Edith with Sam

Cameron and Autumn

After our visit with Sam, we stopped at a local grocery store and picked up some soup/bread for our evening meal which we ate in my cabin. We spent the rest of the evening talking. Because of the heavy traffic Edith experienced on her way to pick me up from the airport on Monday, we decided to leave early the next morning for the airport where I would check in and we have breakfast together before my departure. However, when we arrived at the airport, I did check my bag but we discovered that there was no breakfast being offered outside of security. So we said our “good byes” and I went through security. The travel from Austin to Cedar Rapids was uneventful. Mary and Joe were waiting to pick me up; on our way to my home, we stopped to eat dinner at Coop’s in Shellsburg.

All in all, a good trip with great conversations with Edith, Sam/his family, and Jack but it was very short with our trying to “cram” much activity in such a short time.

Tucson for the Holidays

Posted on January 25, 2014 by admin

Once again, I headed to Tucson to spend time with Steev, Greta, Savanna, and their dogs during the holidays. I had some concern about traveling by air during the holiday season, something Tom & I had never done, because of the possible bad weather and large crowds at the airports. However, travel for this trip was simple and easy with my departing from home on December 23rd and returning on December 30th.

December 23: Airport shuttle service picked me up at 6:00 A.M.; this is a great way to get to the airport if you don’t want to leave a vehicle for a week in their parking lot or you don’t want to have friends take you because of the early hour. The flight to Tucson was uneventful; no large crowds, no problem getting through security, easy pick up of rental car. I arrived at Steev’s and Greta’s around 2:00 in the afternoon. It was amazing how much Savanna had changed from when I saw her in July; she is growing up quickly! This was Steev’s birthday so he opened his presents; afterwards, I left to check into the Best Western Royal Sun. Early evening, we went downtown Tucson for dinner to celebrate Steev’s birthday; traffic was heavy and it was difficult to find a parking space. We went to a relatively new restaurant called Proper; decor was awesome and menu interesting because they grouped entrees either SMALL or LARGE so what you selected was dependent on how much food you wanted to consume. All of us agreed that the food and service was superb.

Steev, Greta, and Savanna at Proper Restaurant

December 24: Took a walk this morning with the temperature being not too hot or too cold; ate breakfast, which was included with the price of the room, at the motel restaurant. Because I was going to run out of reading material, I wanted to go to a bookstore so Steev, Savanna, and I walked to a used bookstore on 4th Street. Upon return, I took off walking to a “near” drugstore for lip gloss; the “near” ended up being a mile one way (at least I did not have to worry about getting enough steps for the day)! We drove to Tumacacori National Park late afternoon in order to see over 1500 luminaries being lit at 6:00 PM. We arrived early so time was passed by listening to carolers singing outside the entrance to the mission, watching volunteers place/light all the luminaries, and seeing the sun go down over the mountains. Luminaries were placed on the top of the fence surrounding the mission, along side the concrete paths, on the steeple/roof/inside the mission. By the time we were able to enter the mission grounds, it was dark and the luminaries glowed; it was a beautiful sight that could not be captured by camera. There was live music played and refreshments offered to all. Upon our return to Tucson, Greta prepared the traditional Christmas Eve dinner of Mexico which consisted of yummy tamales and black beans.

Waiting until 6:00

Lunch is good!

Lighting luminaries

Sun is setting

December 25: This morning I went over for breakfast and coffee. We opened our presents; it was fun to watch Savanna trying to eat the wrapping paper and laughing at her new toys.

Even the dogs got presents

Future Hawkeye!

Would you like some help?

I am ready for presents

After packing a picnic lunch, we drove to Saguaro National Park where we ate our lunch and hiked a trail that went to the top of Brown Mountain. The elevation of Brown Mountain is 836 ft. which is not much but I still have to stop and catch my breath about 3/4 of the ways up. Once we returned to Tucson, we went to Greta’s sister and family for Christmas dinner. Great meal and good conversation.

Up Brown Mountain We Go

Getting ready for our hike

Christmas Picnic

December 26: After taking a walk and having breakfast at the hotel, we went to a scond hand store to purchase some items for Savanna. While in the area, we explored a couple more stores that Greta thought I would enjoy. One of the stores was a great bakery that had wonderful tasting cookies. Later in the afternoon, Steev and I went to the second Hobbit movie; it was very intense with constant action. Will have to wait until next Christmas for the final installment. Greta had prepared Shepard’s Pie for the evening meal which was delicious. After cleaning up, I returned to the hotel.

December 27: This morning, I accompanied Steev and Savanna for a walk to a nearby park while Greta & Jemma went for a run. At noon, I met Jim and Carol Davis at the El Charro restaurant for lunch; wonderful couple hours of good food and conversation. Later in the afternoon, Steev took Savanna swimming while I watched; she really likes the water!

Mama made me a swing

Swimming is fun.

Time to rest

Getting ready to swim

December 28 and 29th: On the 28th, we walked downtown to the post office. It was wonderful walking weather and, on our way downtown, we stopped at one of Steev’s favorite places for coffee. It was interesting seeing downtown Tucson on foot instead of in a car. The afternoon was spent reading and playing with Savanna. Pizza was delivered that evening. On the 29th, we went to a local Farmer’s Market where there were many dealers selling locally made products. Both Steev and I made some purchases. In the afternoon, the four of us took Jemma and Josie to the doggie park where they had fun running with other dogs. Later in the afternoon I said my “good byes” to Savanna and headed back to the motel where I packed for the next morning’s departure. That evening, Greta & Steev picked me up and we went to eat at La Indita, a Mexican restaurant on 4th Street.

Putting up new fence

The five of us

December 30: As with any trip, it is always great to get home.

New sun catcher

“Sisters” Reunion in Naperville

Posted on December 16, 2013 by admin

Tom’s sisters, Lynda and Sarah, met me in Naperville, IL for a “sister” reunion from November 3 to November 6th. Lynda and Sarah had checked into our hotel before my arrival so, once I got there, I went directly to our room where we joyously greeted each other. We decided to drive downtown Naperville and explore the area. While downtown, we found a Mexican restaurant so we had dinner there. When we returned to the hotel, we spent the rest of the evening talking and catching up with happenings in our lives. The next morning we drove to downtown Naperville and spent the day shopping. We had lunch at Giordano’s whose specialty is Chicago style pizza; we did not order the Chicago style but the pizza was delicious! By the end of the day, we were tired so headed back to the hotel. All of us were not very hungry so we walked to a soup/salad place Lynda and Sarah had ate at the day before; great soup! Being a Chicago Bear fan and the team playing on Monday night football, I had to watch the game; after the game, all of us headed for bed. The weather was rainy the next morning so we decided to go to an indoor mall…at least we thought we were going to an indoor mall. But first we traveled to the Container Store and Crate & Barrel outlet (don’t go, there is not much there). When we got to the mall, we discovered all the stores were not inside and access was only from outdoors. Brrr…it was cold! We ate lunch at the Cheesecake Factory; service was very slow but, once it arrived, food was good. By mid-afternoon, we decided to call it a day on shopping and returned to our hotel. That evening we walked to the St. Louis Bread Co. for a light meal. When we returned to the hotel, we sat in front of the fireplace in the lobby area drinking our wine and talking; it was a very pleasant evening.

Finding a new friend

Eating at Mexican restaurant

View of river downtown Naperville

Lynda relaxing on tile lounge

On Wednesday, we went to breakfast at the St. Louis Bread Co.; after breakfast, we said our good byes with Lynda and Sarah heading east while I headed west. It was a very pleasant, fun get together and I consider myself lucky to have such wonderful sisters.

Colorado Birthday Adventure: Part 2

Posted on December 15, 2013 by admin

We left Durango, CO the morning of the 13th heading for Colorado Springs. On the way, we stopped at Pagosa Springs to view some hot springs and the San Juan River flowing through the town.

San Juan River and hot springs

My standing in front of flowing rock

Our next destination was stopping at Bishop’s Castle outside of Rye, CO. The castle is named after Jim Bishop; construction of the castle began in 1969, when Bishop began construction on a family cottage, which he decided to surround with rocks. Several neighbors noted that the structure looked something like a castle. Bishop took this into consideration and soon began building his castle. He had bought the land when he was fifteen for a price of $450. For some reason, the pictures I took of the place did not turn out so you can visit the web site at www.bishopcastle.org; it is truly worth your time to view what an amazing structure has been constructed.

We arrived in Colorado Springs and checked into a Comfort Inn which turned out to be a mistake due to loud noise, thin walls, and a blow drier that “blew up” in Edith’s hand; the morning of the 14th, we checked out and found another hotel. The day proved to be busy with our first stop at the railway for Pikes Peak; we purchased our tickets and got on board. Due to high winds and snow, we were only able to go up 9000 ft. before the train returned to the depot. The weather caused them to close the highway going to the top so no one could drive their car up.

Front car of the train

Sign for the railway

Edith and I enjoying the ride

Look for the summit of Pikes Peak

Scene taken from train

After our Pikes Peak adventure, we headed to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings which are authenic architecture of the ancient Anasazi Indians built 700 years ago. We enjoyed walking through all the rooms and I especially enjoyed the gift shop <:)

Oven for making bread

Standing on upper level

Dwellings from parking lot

After leaving the dwellings, we headed for Garden of the Gods which is a public park in Colorado Springs; in 1971, it was designated a National Natural Landmark. The Garden of the Gods red rock formations were created during a geological upheaval along a natural fault line millions of years ago. Archaeological evidence shows that prehistoric people visited Garden of the Gods about 1330 BC. About 250 BC Native American people camped in the park. Before driving through the park, we had lunch in the visitor center and enjoyed the gift shop.

Scene driving through the park

Garden of the Gods Park

I have to say that I have been to the Garden of the Gods many times and, each time, enjoy the experience tremendously. After some discussion, Edith and I decided there were no other attractions around the area we wanted to visit so we made plans to leave for home the next day. The trip home was uneventful and we arrived at my place in the early afternoon of October 16th. As usual, it was a great trip; I am so thankful that my sister and I travel well together and look forward to our next adventure!

Sunrise as we leave Colorado Springs for home

Colorado Birthday Adventure: Part 1

Posted on December 15, 2013 by admin

Quite a few years ago, my sister and I started an annual adventure in celebration of our birthdays which are 5 days apart. This year we decided to go to southwest Colorado; we left home on October 8th and returned on October 16th. The trip to Colorado was uneventful and we took Highways 71 & 24 off of I-80 to avoid Denver. As we approached Colorado Springs, we decided to take Highways 115/50 heading to Gunnison and encountered some beautiful scenes full of fall colors.

An example of beautiful colors

Water and color

Color, water, color, rocks

Beautiful countryside

We arrived at Gunnison around 5:00 P.M. on the 9th and stayed at a Comfort Inn. On the 10th, our goal was to drive to Durango because we had reservations to take the train from Durango to Silverton on Friday, the 11th. It was raining when we arrived at Montrose, CO so we decided not to stop for shopping but kept going. I wanted to see the Black Canyon at Gunnison National Park but it was closed because of the federal government shutdown.

Our government working for us

More color

When we got to Ridgeway, CO the rain had turned to snow so we decided to take a route that did not have as many passes as Red Mountain. After going about 5 miles out of Ridgeway, weather was really bad and a county sheriff recommended we not try to get to Durango that day so we turned around and headed back to Montrose where we found a room at a Best Western. We shopped Montrose; had late lunch at El Jimador, a local Mexican restaurant. I called the Durango Railway and got our reservation changed from the 11th to the 12th; the evening was spent reading in our room.

The next morning we left Montrose with good weather; at Ridgeway, we decided to go the outer route instead of over Red Mountain because a local had told us that the passes over Red Mountain were still getting snow with ice underneath. And our drive to Durango was beautiful with wonderful views of snow, color, rocks, creeks, and lakes.

Snow, creek, color

Snowy rocks

Lunch was ate at Millwood Junction which is located in Mancos, CO; it had very good food. We arrived in Durango mid-afternoon; after checking into the BW Durango Inn, we picked up our train tickets for the next day, did some shopping, and ate dinner at the Carver Brewing Co.

After a good night’s sleep and breakfast, we headed to the train station where we found out the car we were scheduled to be in broke down. We agreed to the proposal of taking a bus to Silverton and riding the first class car on the way back; this turned out to be a good decision on our part.

Scenery as seen from the bus

Edith and I ready for our train adventure

It did not take long to reach Silverton by bus so we had time to explore the town, have lunch, and shop.

View of downtown Silverton

Lunch in a building built in the 1800’s

We boarded the train for the trip back to Durango at 2:30; the train moved slow and we did not arrive back to our car until 6:00. However, it was a fun ride with some beautiful scenery. The reason we were glad that we took the bus one way and train the other is because we got a different perspective of the scenery and the slowness of the train would of made the day quite long if ridden both directions.

Rushing stream

An old trestle bridge

View from train down a steep canyon

Train pulling around a bend

After arriving at the train depot in Durango, we went back to our hotel and ate in our suite. We made some preparation for our departure the next day; we will be heading to Colorado Springs.

“Scandinavian Tapestry” Tour Part 6: Heading Home

Posted on September 12, 2013 by admin

August 23: This is our last day on the Wind Surf and it was spent at sea. Early in the morning we will arrive at Edinburgh, Scotland and will disembark from the ship. It was a peaceful, relaxing day with reading, eating, visiting, packing, and reviewing preliminary bill. There was a slight problem with the bill in that all expenses were placed on Ginni’s credit card; I thought that was a good thing but Ginni did not think so <:). But, through Wind Surf’s great computer system, the purser was able to separate us out and expenses were applied to the applicable account. Mid-afternoon the crew modeled latest fashions from the gift shop so I watched and learned the current trends. That evening, we attended a talk on disembarkation given by the Guest Services manager and joined everyone in the lounge for the captain and crew bidding us farewell. We had dinner with Richard and Sharon, the Canadian couple that we had met earlier in the week. After dinner, we went to the Compass Rose for an after dinner drink and listened to CC Maxx Duo performance. Since we had to be up at 4:30 in the morning, we went to the cabin earlier than previous evenings. We placed our luggage outside our door so the crew could pick it up and take it into the terminal at Edinburgh for our pick up once we disembarked from the ship.

August 24: The sound of the alarm seem to come very early! It was approximately 9:30 or 10:30 PM the evening before back home. We did have a couple cups of coffee before the announcement came for those of us heading to the airport should leave the ship. Since the Wind Surf only carries 300 passengers and many of them were staying a few extra days in Scotland, there were only about 20 people leaving with us which made it easy to get our luggage picked up after we went through Scotland’s security. There was a shuttle bus waiting to take all of us to the airport; upon arrival at the airport, I was able to get checked in quickly but it did take some time to go through another security check. My journey took me from Edinburgh to Amsterdam (where I had to go through another security check) to Detroit (where I went through customs, immigration, and another security check) to Cedar Rapids with arrival at 8:30 PM. Luggage arrived with no problem and the airport shuttle service took me home; by this time, I had been up for 24 hours and was starting to feel it. But it was a wonderful trip and am certainly glad I went. Good things about the trip was Wind Surf’s excellent service; the weather, with an exception of a couple days, was good; the Scandinavian people were quite friendly and helpful; the Scandinavian countries were all exceptionally clean with their laws making sure people do not litter. Couple things I would of liked different was the itinerary where I wished we would of had more time in Oslo; I felt Wind Star should of made more of an effort providing guests with information regarding Stockholm and how to get around; one less airport stop both going and coming would of been appreciated but I realize coming out and into Cedar Rapids makes more difficult to arrange. Overall, a great trip and I am looking forward to planning another one next year.

“Scandinavian Tapestry” Tour Part 5: Oslo and Kristiansand, Norway

Posted on September 11, 2013 by admin

August 21: At around 8:00 AM, surrounded by forested hills and small picturesque islands, the ship docked at the end of the stunning Oslo Fjord. We were anchored right below the more than 700-year old Akershus Fortress whose construction started in the late 13th century to protect Oslo from outside invaders. The first stop of our tour was by the water across from the Oslo Opera House; from there, we proceeded to central Oslo where we passed the Royal Palace, the Parliament, and National Theatre.

Ginni and I in front of the library

The Parliament

We walked in front of the Grand Hotel, where the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is lodged; the only winner who refused to stay in the hotel was Mother Teresa who felt it was too rich. Since Alfred Nobel came from Norway, he specified in his will that this one prize should be awarded in his country. At the end of the tour we were able to visit Oslo City Hall where the prize is awarded every year. We continued on to Vigeland Sculpture Park which is a unique park displaying the life work of Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943) with more than 200 sculptures in bronze, granite and cast iron.

Entrance to Vigeland Sculpture Park

The open window is the room where peace prize winner stays

Open window is the room of peace prize winner

The sculpture park was very interesting and our guide had an excellent knowledge of all the sculptures which depicted man going through life from birth to death. Unfortunately, the battery in my camera died at the entrance and the spare one was on the bus so I did not get any pictures of the rest of the tour. After walking through the park, we headed to the Icebar Oslo in downtown. This is the only permanent bar in Norway made entirely of ice and is kept at minus 5 degrees at all times. Everything inside is made out of crystal clear ice harvested from the frozen Torne River in northern Sweden. We were given a thermal cape with hood and gloves that we had to put on before entering the bar; once in the bar, we were given champagne in a glass made of ice. It was a fun, cold experience! Another walk took us to City Hall where, every December 10th, the Nobel Peace Prize is presented. And then the unexpected happened! We, along with four others, got separated from our tour and the bus, heading to the ship, left without us. We ended up walking the mile or so back to the ship and arrived before the bus; since my purse was still on the bus, I was glad to see it appear! After lunch on board, I went shopping at the terminal by the ship but there was not much good quality items. The ship left the port of Oslo at 5:00 PM and we were on our way to Kristiansand, Norway.

Another country scene as we left Oslo

Leaving Oslo behind

August 22: We arrived in Kristiansand around 9:00 AM. Ginni and I had decided to walk around the area on our own instead of taking a tour so, after breakfast, we headed out on our adventure. Our goal was to head toward market street for some shopping and picture taking. The first stop was to take some pictures of the town along the harbor and then on to the Fish Market. This market has fresh seafood which includes lobster, makeral, and salmon.

Flowers, flowers everywhere

View of town from the harbor

Inside the Fish Market

Outside of the fish market

After making a purchase at the market, we headed toward the center of town and the shopping district. As information, Kristiansand is the 5th largest municipality in Norway with a population of +90K and it is named after its founder King Christian IV in 1641. We arrived at the shopping center (it was quite busy); the best part of the shopping is I found a 70% off rack of baby clothes so made a purchase for granddaughter Savanna. On the way back to the ship, since it was a beautiful, sunny day we decided to have lunch at an outdoor restaurant called Enok. An interesting note regarding the menu; I ordered the chicken sandwich with toss salad and chips…when it came, the toss salad was actually part of the sandwich and not separate as we would get back here.

Beautiful local church

Chicken and toss salad sandwich

Sand sculpture in park

That evening we went to the lounge before dinner to listen to Deborah Boily, a guest entertainer who sang show tunes; she had a good voice. Ray and Vicki from Australia joined us for dinner. The Wind Surf crew took to the stage after dinner and shared their hidden talents; singing, dancing, magic tricks, etc. Headed to the cabin around 11:30; tomorrow we will be at sea all day.

Talented crew

Wind Surf greeter

Jan's Blog

My Adventures thru Space and Time