The baby elephants are the most fun to watch:
From the tram we spotted this cheetah resting in the shade - they are very hard to spot in a wild environment.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
It used to be called San Diego Wild Animal Park - the name has been changed, but it's the same wonderful place. It's a huge venue - but we've found a way for me to get around just fine - without the scooter I would really miss out!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
San Jacinto Mountains
A beautiful day to head for the hills! Tom loaded his mountain bike, Dick loaded his cache bag, and off we went. We dropped Tom at Hurkey Creek Park, and we went exploring. What great weather - what great scenery... We found a total of seven caches for the day, and a good time was had by all.
Dick's logs:
05/25/2011 You found Speed of Light Visit Log
We cameup to Idyllwild today to drop off our son the physicist (BA MIT, PhD U of Mich) on the bike trail and spend some time exploring and caching. We spotted this one and forced him to come along with us to the site. He knew of the scientist and told us about the experiment and the discovery which resulted in him being awarded the Nobel Prize. (We pretended to understand) However, he was not aware of this place or of the experimental attempt to measure the speed of light. We all enjoyed our day up here. Thanks for maintaining this virtual cache.
05/25/2011 You found Living Free Visit Log
We dropped our son and his new mountain bike off at the camp ground and drove back to start caching here. Nice hide, fairly quick find, signed the log and left our card and pathtag. Thanks for the fun.
05/25/2011 You found Pines to Palms (243A) Visit Log
After we dropped the biker off Hurkey Creek, we came back to Idyllwild to do some caching. This was a quick find. The log needs attention, full and a little damp. TFTC
05/25/2011 You found IDY Strawberry Creek Visit LogHad to look a bit but we found it and signed the log and left our micro card. TFTC
05/25/2011 You found Pines to Palms (243C) Visit LogThis hide was worth a chuckle. As we pulled up I said, "Don't need the GPS for this one!" I do that so often and so often I'm just flat wrong. We signed the very full log book where we could. It really needs to be replaced. TFTC
05/25/2011 You found SNDFISH Visit Log
We came up to Idyllwild today with our son. We dropped him off to go mountain biking while we went caching. This was our favorite find of the day. Great view, easy access and a nice sized dry hide with a great camo concept. We took nothing, signed the log and left our card and Apache Tears. Thanks for the fun!
05/25/2011 You found Dorothy & Toto's Retreat Visit Log
We came up today with our son on a combined biking geocaching trip. We truly enjoyed the hide in a quaint artsy town. Signed the log, traded sigs and left our pathtag. Thanks for the fun.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
California, Here We Come
Nice 5 a.m. shuttle from the Comfort Inn Airport to McCarran Field. Checked in with no problem - walked to gate D 37 - yes 37!
Anyway, uneventful flight to LAX to connect with American Eagle to San Diego. Dick's seatmate on the Eagle was a young Mormon missionary returning from two years in Argentina. He went on his mission right out of high school so we figured he was probably 20 years old. It was hard to think of him as "Elder Hall"! He had a really fun welcoming committee - lots of cute young girls holding a big banner.
Tom picked us up and brought us to his house, and then went back to work. It was perfect because I got all of the laundry done this afternoon. Yaay! All the comforts of home.
We went out to dinner at Chevy's - yummy Mexican food. Hooray for Southern California.
Anyway, uneventful flight to LAX to connect with American Eagle to San Diego. Dick's seatmate on the Eagle was a young Mormon missionary returning from two years in Argentina. He went on his mission right out of high school so we figured he was probably 20 years old. It was hard to think of him as "Elder Hall"! He had a really fun welcoming committee - lots of cute young girls holding a big banner.
Tom picked us up and brought us to his house, and then went back to work. It was perfect because I got all of the laundry done this afternoon. Yaay! All the comforts of home.
We went out to dinner at Chevy's - yummy Mexican food. Hooray for Southern California.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Beaver, Utah to Las Vegas, New Mexico
Another beautiful drive with awe-inspiring scenery!
We had a hectic drive around Las Vegas looking for a place to eat. Finally wound up eating at Johnny Rockets right by the motel.
Excited to be going to California tomorrow.
We had a hectic drive around Las Vegas looking for a place to eat. Finally wound up eating at Johnny Rockets right by the motel.
Excited to be going to California tomorrow.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Grand Junction, Colorado to Beaver, Utah
We had a glorious drive today - the scenery in southern Utah is just astounding. Around every curve, we said "WOW!" I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves;
As soon as we got to Beaver we started looking for caches. The first one we found was by an alpaca farm - These have to be the cutest mammals in existence!!
Caching in Utah - this was the only tree from here to the horizon!
Pioneers had to have been the hardiest, bravest, most adventuresome people that there ever were - this wagon is very small and looks creaky and uncomfortable. So glad I was born in the 20th century!
We found the caching around Beaver to be very disappointing. The caches are not well maintained at all - several are missing and not archived. We did manage to find five - but I have to say that caching in Michigan is much more fun. We now have found caches in 49 States! Ta-da! Next Spring - Hawaii.
As soon as we got to Beaver we started looking for caches. The first one we found was by an alpaca farm - These have to be the cutest mammals in existence!!
Caching in Utah - this was the only tree from here to the horizon!
Pioneers had to have been the hardiest, bravest, most adventuresome people that there ever were - this wagon is very small and looks creaky and uncomfortable. So glad I was born in the 20th century!
We found the caching around Beaver to be very disappointing. The caches are not well maintained at all - several are missing and not archived. We did manage to find five - but I have to say that caching in Michigan is much more fun. We now have found caches in 49 States! Ta-da! Next Spring - Hawaii.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Farmington, New Mexico to Grand Junction, Colorado
The first things we saw when we entered Colorado were beautiful, snow-covered mountains in the distance. How great, I thought. We'll have this wonderful scenery all day long! Little did I know....
The first town we went through in Colorado was Durango - it's a really nice looking town - touristy, historic, and ultra-Western, North of Durango we drove past field after field of hay or wheat, with every type of irrigation that you've ever heard of going full blast in every field.
The road we were taking to Grand Junction went right through the mountains, entailing everything you know about mountain driving - a long, long, twisty, turny narrow road - sheer drops of hundreds of feet with only a frail looking guardrail to protect you - and sometimes no guardrail at all !! This would have been a challenging drive on a hot summer day - but wait....all of a sudden our twisty road was bordered by snow - wow - look at that - we'd better take a picture! (We thought it was some kind of an anomaly.) We actually thought that this was a lot of snow for May 21:
This is called Engineering Mountain:
Then the piled up snow was deeper and deeper. We began to see signs saying Avalanche Area No Stopping or Standing, and Icy Roads, Use Caution. And it was true. On many of the hairpin turns the road was icy and the drop-offs were perilous - how exciting (not).
We reached Silverton in one piece, glad of a chance to stretch our legs and make a pit stop. Drove around the Main street (the only paved street in town) to d0 some sight seeing and to drive on the level for a change. I foolishly thought that now we were through with the mountain driving. The sign said Ouray 29 miles. It turned out to be 29 miles of more mountainous driving, with even steeper drop-offs and deeper canyons. Holy cow.
After driving through the mountain roller coaster, driving on t0 Grand Junction was a piece of cake. Ate lunch at the Pufferbelly Station Restaurant - really - found a motel, and went caching.
The Riverwalk Park held many caches, and Dick photographed these sculptures along the path.
We found five caches this afternoon in Grand Junction. It's a beautiful city and today was a glorious sunny, warm blue sky kind of a day. We had a grat time.
The first town we went through in Colorado was Durango - it's a really nice looking town - touristy, historic, and ultra-Western, North of Durango we drove past field after field of hay or wheat, with every type of irrigation that you've ever heard of going full blast in every field.
The road we were taking to Grand Junction went right through the mountains, entailing everything you know about mountain driving - a long, long, twisty, turny narrow road - sheer drops of hundreds of feet with only a frail looking guardrail to protect you - and sometimes no guardrail at all !! This would have been a challenging drive on a hot summer day - but wait....all of a sudden our twisty road was bordered by snow - wow - look at that - we'd better take a picture! (We thought it was some kind of an anomaly.) We actually thought that this was a lot of snow for May 21:
This is called Engineering Mountain:
Then the piled up snow was deeper and deeper. We began to see signs saying Avalanche Area No Stopping or Standing, and Icy Roads, Use Caution. And it was true. On many of the hairpin turns the road was icy and the drop-offs were perilous - how exciting (not).
We reached Silverton in one piece, glad of a chance to stretch our legs and make a pit stop. Drove around the Main street (the only paved street in town) to d0 some sight seeing and to drive on the level for a change. I foolishly thought that now we were through with the mountain driving. The sign said Ouray 29 miles. It turned out to be 29 miles of more mountainous driving, with even steeper drop-offs and deeper canyons. Holy cow.
After driving through the mountain roller coaster, driving on t0 Grand Junction was a piece of cake. Ate lunch at the Pufferbelly Station Restaurant - really - found a motel, and went caching.
The Riverwalk Park held many caches, and Dick photographed these sculptures along the path.
We found five caches this afternoon in Grand Junction. It's a beautiful city and today was a glorious sunny, warm blue sky kind of a day. We had a grat time.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Winslow, Arizona to Farmington, New Mexico
The rocky outcroppings in this part of the country are amazing.
Pictures are worth 10,000 words:
So far on this trip we have found 17 geocaches, and added 3 States to our total of States geocached.
Pictures are worth 10,000 words:
Here's our trusty Jeep Compass in the wilderness of New Mexico. It has no temperature read-out and also - no compass! Go figure.
So far on this trip we have found 17 geocaches, and added 3 States to our total of States geocached.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Las Vegas to Winslow
An early morning drive down the Las Vegas "Strip" was very exciting. Block after block of eye candy such as a hick from punkin crick has never experienced! You have to forgive me - it took me 75 years to get here!
On the way to Winslow, we stopped for coffee at the McDonald's in Boulder City. It was delightful to find sculptures all the way around the building - children playing, working, and participating in various sports. Sometimes wonderful things pop up when you least expect it!
This one we photographed in honor of tennis-playing Dylan:
Driving through the mountains of northern Arizona suddenly became just like driving in Michigan in March. We've all seen this til we're blue in the face, but hey - this is May 19th!
Winslow, Arizona has many reasons for civic pride. One of them is this memorial featuring two steel beams from the World Trade Center, and a flag that few over the Pentagon. It was in an out of the way spot, and if it weren't for geocaching, we wouldn't have seen it.
Another highlight in Winslow is this urban "park" illustrating the song "Take It Easy", by the Eagles.
On the way to Winslow, we stopped for coffee at the McDonald's in Boulder City. It was delightful to find sculptures all the way around the building - children playing, working, and participating in various sports. Sometimes wonderful things pop up when you least expect it!
This one we photographed in honor of tennis-playing Dylan:
Driving through the mountains of northern Arizona suddenly became just like driving in Michigan in March. We've all seen this til we're blue in the face, but hey - this is May 19th!
Winslow, Arizona has many reasons for civic pride. One of them is this memorial featuring two steel beams from the World Trade Center, and a flag that few over the Pentagon. It was in an out of the way spot, and if it weren't for geocaching, we wouldn't have seen it.
Another highlight in Winslow is this urban "park" illustrating the song "Take It Easy", by the Eagles.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Las Vegas
Our first flight was significantly delayed, so we missed our connection at O'Hare. We rebooked for a noon flight, and read and drank coffee for a couple of hours - not bad at all. Luckily, I had downloaded a great old book into the kindle (Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy).
The flight to Vegas was memorable for the chatty sisters behind us - I'm saying non-stop - the chatty couple across the aisle who were on their knees in their seats so they couldturn around and talk to the couple behind them - I'm saying non-stop - and the crying baby 10 rows ahead of us who luckily only cried intermittently if loudly. This all made it harder to concentrate on the kindle, but not impossible. Other than that, it was uneventful. The scenery out the window was spectacular - what a treat to see so much snow in the mountains (?).
We got a nice Jeep station wagon for the week, and headed for the motel. We came to get away from it all, but it seems we brought quite a bit of it along with us - because after all, when we got here we were still us. Lovely suite at the Comfort Inn, nice dinner at Pei Wei, and looking forward to tomorrow.
The flight to Vegas was memorable for the chatty sisters behind us - I'm saying non-stop - the chatty couple across the aisle who were on their knees in their seats so they couldturn around and talk to the couple behind them - I'm saying non-stop - and the crying baby 10 rows ahead of us who luckily only cried intermittently if loudly. This all made it harder to concentrate on the kindle, but not impossible. Other than that, it was uneventful. The scenery out the window was spectacular - what a treat to see so much snow in the mountains (?).
We got a nice Jeep station wagon for the week, and headed for the motel. We came to get away from it all, but it seems we brought quite a bit of it along with us - because after all, when we got here we were still us. Lovely suite at the Comfort Inn, nice dinner at Pei Wei, and looking forward to tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Go West, Old Folks!
Tomorrow we're flying to Las Vegas for a two week Western adventure. We're not really doing the Vegas thing - we'e doing the Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah thing. The goal is to find a geocache in every State and we need these 5 States. After this, the only one left is Hawaii, and we're looking at next Spring for that.
When the geocaching is finished, we plan to fly to San Diego to stay with Tom and see his new kitchen! Also while we're out there, we'll be going to Jacob's Bar Mitzvah, and event not to be missed! Just think - we used to call him Jakie Bare Nakie ! Maybe I shouldn't remind him of that...
Monday after the Bar Mitzvah (Memorial Day) I hear that there's a BBQ at Kevin and Amy's new house! It will be exciting to see Maya - oh yes, and the new house!
This is kind of a bad time to leave Northern Michigan - blossom time! Things are so beautiful around here that in a way I hate to leave - but just try to talk me out of it!
"All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...leaving on a jet plane.."
When the geocaching is finished, we plan to fly to San Diego to stay with Tom and see his new kitchen! Also while we're out there, we'll be going to Jacob's Bar Mitzvah, and event not to be missed! Just think - we used to call him Jakie Bare Nakie ! Maybe I shouldn't remind him of that...
Monday after the Bar Mitzvah (Memorial Day) I hear that there's a BBQ at Kevin and Amy's new house! It will be exciting to see Maya - oh yes, and the new house!
This is kind of a bad time to leave Northern Michigan - blossom time! Things are so beautiful around here that in a way I hate to leave - but just try to talk me out of it!
"All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...leaving on a jet plane.."
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