Summer in full swing

This past weekend Peanut got picked up at camp. Here she is (above) with a couple of her camp pals. She ages out this year, so it might be her last, unless she wants to be a counselor in training. We'll see.

After camp we drove over to Carlton, MN for the Voyageur 50 Mile Ultramarathon. After checking in with race officials the night before, Peanut and I drove up to Duluth for dinner. We had spaghetti at Grandma's restaurant (Grandma is the namesake for Grandma's marathon). While there we enjoyed the sites and sounds and ambiance of Duluth and Lake Superior (above). Good father-daughter bonding time.

This was my second run at Voyager. Both times I started with a Mankato running pal, TW. Here we are at the start of Saturday's event. Three years ago we toed the start line and rand the first section together. I finished in 10h 30m, but sadly TW suffered one of his very rare DNFs (did not finish). The conditions were blistering hot which aggravates any nagging injury, and demoralizes even the most determined runner.

This year would be different. TW and I stuck together for the first 4 sections, through the dreaded Power Lines, (five, very steep, roller coaster hill climbs of about 350 feet each, on gullied and muddy surfaces... and that's being nice). Our carefully paced efforts paid off for both of us. We both had plenty of leg to make the return tip. You can sort of see (above) the mud and crap on my scrawny legs after they crossed the finish line in 10h 25m for a PR (personal record) on this course. Peanut volunteered at one of the aid stations and enjoyed the sites, sounds and people of this terrific event.

We returned home to a quieter household. Beaner is in Pittsburgh with church doing a community service project. Chalupa is off at Wapsi-Y summer camp. The crops of beans, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes are all bountiful.

Back to work

At the beginning of the summer, Beaner said she'd mow the lawn and therefore earned the right of first refusal. By July... she refused. Peanut lasted for just less than half a yard... she refused. Now Chalupa has the right of first refusal. So far, so good. I suggest you take a look at her hands. Yep, those are soccer gloves. ????

More Vacation Stuff

Here we sit pre-launch on a white water rafting expedition in Durango, CO. with Laura's cousin Barbara. She was a magnificent hostess. She took us to a hot spring swimming hole and a BBQ round-up with some terrific entertainment.

Here's a great shot of Sidetrack. Can't remember where I snagged this picture, but it's a keeper. Certainly, from the expression on her face... she was having a fun time.
Ok, these next two pictures are of the Grand Canyon. Anyone who has been to the Grand Canyon will tell you... no picture, postcard or video can do justice to this hole in the ground. You have to stand on the edge to truly appreciate the magnitude and beauty of this wonder; the time and patience it took to be formed, and how small and insignificant we really are as a species.
This is a breath-taking place to be sure. We journeyed to the edge from Flagstaff, AZ. If we ever have the luxury to choose where we retire ... Flagstaff is in the top three contending locations.
More posts to come....

The List

• We traveled 10 days, from a Thursday through a Monday. During this time, we figured we were in a car for about 80 total hours.
• We were at sea level (maybe below in the desert outside of Las Vegas) and climbed as high as 13,635 ft.
• Gas cost us anywhere between a low of $2.59 (Iowa City) to a high of $3.79 (Wells, NV).
• We traveled through countless national parks and forests to include trips over the Golden Gate Bridge and Hoover Dam.
• We traveled through nine States including 5 state capitals.
• The only rain we really experienced was in the painted desert (of all places), and as we drove back into Iowa. Temperatures ranged from 31 degrees in Copper Mt. CO (frost on car), to 116f as we approached Hoover Dam.
• Worst city (by consensus) was Reno, NE.
• Best surprise city was Truckee, CA.
• Sidetrack and Buzz may have to retire in Flagstaff.
• Too many great memories to list. Love our Cousins and grateful for their wonderful hospitality. More later....

Tribute to Abby Road?

Ok, so we tried to do this on Fisherman's Warf, but it sort of failed because there were so many people. This was our best attempt at this location, and even here we see a confused by-stander (walker).

With our Cousin, Kim, we almost nailed it Abby Road photo op while in Half Moon Bay for lunch. It's all very silly stuff.

Golden Moments

Our plans to tour Alcatraz got scuttled, as did our plans to visit the Exploratorium. So we make lemonade out of lemons and spent a full morning at a Golden Gate Park

Here we are on the beach behind the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a cool morning, but the beach none the less.
Here is a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge as we approached it from San Francisco.

Bit by Bit

Our trip is overwhelmed with documented photos, so we're gonna do this bit, by bit.

After a horrific experience in Reno Nevada (gas station with no working bathrooms, no internet service at Starbucks, no working ice cream at McDonalds... four stops, four disasters), we crossed over to California. Life is good and Truckee, CA is our oasis of peace, calm and happiness. Welcome to Northern California. We stayed outside Sacramento, then the following morning we hit old-town Sacramento. Very cool and the doughnuts weren't bad either.

We arrive San Fran. and organized our first excursion in to the city... But before I get into that, I must tell you about our arrival, right in the middle of the Pride Fest Parade! Yes, this was every bit a San Fran experience as one could imagine. Gay pride was rampant as were the religious right.... No riots but some interesting people watching to be sure. Most of this we saw while waiting for the Cable Car (below).

We took the cable care to Fisherman's Warf. Pier 39. It's all good.

Pier 39 means sea lions.

And Ghirardelli Chocolate. They no longer make chocolate here, but they sell it, and the girls found it!

Salt Lake City

So we trekked north from Denver past Fort Collins into Wyoming. Then across the southern portion for most of the day. We stopped for lunch in a nice, windy picnic spot in the middle of nowhere. Wyoming was surprisingly baron with some dramatic geographic changes.

Once we arrived, we regrouped and headed out for dinner. Here was see Addy and Ellie pondering the finer points of an intense game of dots. I think they tied.
Here we are at dinner at Macaroni Grill. So far, so good no casualties. Next stop... western Nevada or eastern California. Westward HO!

Denver

In Denver we got a chance to see the Red Sox play at Coors field. This Inter-League game was important to Boston in order to avoid a sweep in Denver. The score changed several times and there were some explosive innings. The pitching by both teams was pathetic, and Boston's Ace Closer was tattood for 2 runs to tie it up in the Ninth. Thankfully, Dustin Pedroia had a career night with three dingers, the final homer scored two runs in the 10th to win 13 - 11 and avoid the sweep. What a beautiful ball park.

Outside the park, Chalupa, Big Dawg, Hefner, Peanut and Beaner pose for the crowd.
The excitement on Hefner's face is palpable. Last time Hef was in Colorado, he was crewing Buzz through 100 miles of trail outside Leadville. You can image his surprise and relief to spend his next stint in a Baseball stadium with the rest of the family.
Posing at one of many water fountains on the way to the Park.
Here we see Beaner, Peanut and Chalupa not sure what they are taking pictures of, but at least this moment was captured.

Here we see the crew standing with musical art in Downtown Denver. They really seemed to like the ambiance a piano on the sidewalk adds.

Another photogenic moment. Note the concentration.
On our way to Denver, we stopped for a Picnic lunch at Big Creek, Nebraska. A very nice place just 14 miles from the border of Colorado.
And a picture of something we are all getting used to... sitting in the car for hours and miles on end.

All Systems Go

Hefner sits over the odometer waiting anxiously for a trip to California. The Odometer reads O.O. It will be interesting so see how many miles we cover. Fasten your seat belts folks and let the adventure begin!!!!

Excursion

Chalupa and BD took an excursion to the wonderful State of Illinois. What the heck, it was just across the river from her soccer tournament. They tied their first game at twos... but should have won. Magic struggled to find the corner of the net, but clearly had shots on goal. The second game was a blow-out: 8 - 0. Special thanks to three stand-ins from Ankeny who performed magnificently.

No one goes hungry in Iowa. We pass by this place on our way to and from Muscatine several times a year. I find it comical that they have "Smoked Cat". Really? In Iowa?