Reno, Nevada

Left Elko heading further west and getting closer to home.  Had hoped to see my grandson, Jake, at UNR but he was going to LA to visit his girl friend, so drove around the campus as I had never seen it before.  Quite a nice looking campus with lots of brick buildings covered with ivy and lots of trees.  Maybe one of these days he can give me a tour.  Spending the night at Boom Town and ready to head back to Monterey tomorrow.  No gambling, just sitting in my room with my feet up and working on this blog.

Have to admit that I am getting tired and it will be so nice to sleep in my own bed.  Will have another post when I get home.  Hope to have all the mileage worked out so I can brag about how many miles I actually drove.

More later.

Elko, Nevada

Slowly working my way west and next stop is Elko, Nevada.  Have driven thru several times and probably stopped for gas a few times but that is all I know about the town except my sister and her husband attend Cowboy Poetry there every February.

Well, several months ago an old friend contacted me on Facebook.  My first husband and her husband were in the same pilot training class in 1961 and we had seen each other once about 1968 and then sort of lost contact with each other.  So, I decided I would stop in Elko on my way home and we could catch up and talk old times.  Had a super fun time and so good to hear all about her family and what has happened to her in the past 40 years.  Hopefully she will come visit in Monterey sometime soon.

Mormon Temple

More SLC

Hiked up from the train station to the Temple Square.  Quite impressive with all of the statuesque architecture and lovely landscaping.  Interesting that the Hotel Utah is now Mormon offices.  It is very majestic and has been renovated and you still get the feeling that it was once an elegant hotel in the city.

Salt Lake City Train Station

It has been refurbished inside but not used as a train station

Olympic Statute Near Fountain

Salt Lake City

First things first, had my car washed this morning.  It had been sitting outside for 4 weeks in Minneapolis and I had now driven thru rain and dust and  I could not see out of any of  windows!!

about Olympic Legacy Plaza Snowflake Fountain:

Get ready to get wet! This fountain is hard to resist. Kids of all ages (even parents) play in this fountain, and it's a great way to cool off in the summer months.

A large stone version of the snowflake logo from the 2002 Winter Olympics forms the shape of a ground-level fountain, which features shooting jets of water synchronized to the Olympic theme and other music. The 'water dance' goes off every 30 minutes, for 10 minutes at a stretch, though the times in between are just as much fun. On very sunny days, you can see a rainbow through the jets of water.

You'll find plenty of space to sit (and stay dry), and you can also check out the nearby Wall of Honor, which lists the 27,000 volunteers from the 2002 Winter Olympics. 

This area is in the Gateway Shopping Center which is behind the renovated Salt Lake City Union Pacific Railroad Station.  The shopping center is quite unique with several levels and wandering streets.  There is also a day spa that has a fairly large gym with exercise equipment.  I even managed to get a manicure while I was in there.

Westward Ho

Leaving Rawlins, heading toward Salt Lake City, I noticed more small herds of antelope and enjoyed the many horses frolicking over the range.  Not too much to look at but I could see some of the drilling apparatus for natural gas far out and away from the hiway.

Decided to take a side trip and see a site, Flaming Gorge.  The dam was about 63 miles south of Highway 80 so off I went.  A really nice drive, lots of beautiful rock formations and the road was quite nice, even though only two lanes.  When I reached the dam I walked around a bit and then took off to drive around the area and end up back on 80, closer to Salt Lake City.  As soon as I started from the dam my battery light came on and I almost panicked.  Was not sure what to do as I was now a long way from the main highway.  I knew there was a lodge and restaurant about a mile away and I drove there, hoping my trusty Blazer would make it.  I drove into the Lodge area and there was a gas station and an area that did boat repair.  I asked the guy if he would look at my car and he put a tester on it and said it was the alternator.  The solution for this was not easy or cheap.  Someone had to drive 45 minutes to a small town, pick up the part and drive 45 minutes back.  He called and was assured they had the correct part and a fellow took off driving to pick up the part.  I was a little nervous about the whole mess but I felt I had no choice.  I worried that the parts store would not have the part and I would have to stay at the rustic lodge overnight but I lucked out in that field and was on my way  in less that 3 hours but $435 poorer.  Guess there was no choice and I was glad to get moving again.
Everyone was very nice to me during this time, letting me sit in the restaurant, use my computer and read a book.

The drive to Salt Lake City was long from Flaming Gorge and, of course, I worried about something else happening to my car.  The scenery made the drive worthwhile and I am happy I was able to experience the beauty even though it was an expensive ride.!!!  Arrived in Salt Lake City about 6PM just in time for rush hour traffic but made it to the motel with no problems and believe me, I really slept well!!!

Flaming Gorge

Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area was established by Congress October 1, 1968. The area contains 207,363 acres of land and water, almost equally divided between Utah and Wyoming.

Flaming Gorge Reservoir is the most popular attraction here. It is a huge reservoir providing outstanding opportunity for boating, fishing, skiing, jet skiing, houseboating and other water sports. Five full-service marinas offer launching, storage and maintenance facilities.

The reservoir surface water is cool even during the heat of summer. That means the reservoir provides excellent habitat for trout, and it is invigoratingly cool for water skiers.

Flaming Gorge is famous for its trophy lake trout. Good number of 30+ pound fish are caught each year. The Utah record went 51 lb 8 oz, and there may yet be a bigger one swimming in the reservoir. Fishing is also very good for rainbows, brown trout, kokanee salmon and smallmouth bass.

Only primitive roads lay across the eastern Uinta mountain range when construction of Flaming Gorge Dam began in 1958. Construction of the dam, development of the recreation area, and highway access have ushered in the modern era for this ageless country.

Request a brochure with information about this area.

Rising 502 feet above bedrock, Flaming Gorge Dam impounds waters of the Green River to form the reservoir, which extends as far as 91 miles to the north. The reservoir has a total capacity of 3,788,900 acre-feet. At full elevation of 6,045 feet, it has a surface area of 42,020 acres.

Pony Express Stop In Nebraska

Corn, corn and more corn

Leaving Fairmont I headed west on I-90 to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  Need I tell you that I have never seen so much corn in my life!!!!  Fields and fields and fields of corn, now picked and dried, some fields already cut down.  Interesting driving in this area, partly along the Missouri River, which was part of the Lewis and Clark Trail.  If you remember from part of my blog in Oregon, that I had visited the end of the Lewis and Clark Trail in Seaside, Oregon.  After reaching Sioux Falls, I headed south to Omaha and then west on I-80.  I have never been on I-80 in that part of the country so decided to add it to my driving experience. Driving through Nebraska was another "corny" experience!!!  Really, the corn fields continued for mile after mile, but interesting that I crossed the South Fork of the Platte River at North Platte, Nebraska.  I did lose track of how many times I crossed the Platte River.  Spent the night in Kearney (pronounced Karney), Nebraska, which is just about central Nebraska, a town of about 30,000.  Kearney is the home of the University of Nebraska Kearney.

Forgot to mention that one of my favorite gas stations on this trip is called "Kum and Go".  Always good for a laugh.

Next morning continued on thru Nebraska and yes, there was more corn and I made a stop at an old pony express stop.  Hard to imagine that mail was delivered by horseback way back when.   My grand kids think I was alive during the days of the pony express.   As I proceeded further west toward Wyoming, the corn fields started to disappear and now there were wheat and alfalfa fields and I started seeing more cattle.  Arriving in Wyoming  thru Cheyenne and Laramie, I saw small herds of antelope along the way.  I spent the night in Rawlins and learned from people there that this area is booming with the drilling of natural gas.  Very interesting and a boom for this small town.

Fairmont, Minnesota

Sadly it was time to get back on the road and head toward Monterey.  Sad to say goodbye to Ron and Bernice.  We had such a great time traveling for a month and I wish we lived closer so we could get together more often.  I know that we all have loads of memories of this trip and will have lots to talk about for years to come.

Drove from Minneapolis southwest to a small town, Fairmont, Minneapolis.  Nice drive along the river and with the trees changing colors--reds and yellows among the evergreens.  Then as I was closer to the southern part of the State the corn fields appear, acres and acres of corn or soybeans. 

Fairmont, MN, is a small town that sits in the middle of corn and soybean fields.  Some of the corn fields come right up to the back yards of some homes.  Larry's nephew, Bob, and his family live in Fairmont and a corn field comes right to their back yard.
'
Bob is an optometrist in  Fairmont and the girls are cross country runners.  Lauren is a state ranked runner and Jacklyn is in junior high but does some running for the varsity high school team.  We did a nice 4 miles walk around one of the lakes in Fairmont.  I understand there are five lakes there and you can go from one to the other in your boat.  I also saw Lauren and Jaclyn's mother, Diane, and she accompanied us to lunch.  Great to see everyone and it was fun to see where they live and play.  Jaclyn may come to Monterey next summer to train with another runner.  Will be fun to have her.  Hope that Lauren can  come sometime also.  Really sweet and great girls.  We are all very proud of them.

Super Friese Family 

Robyn, Greg, Clayton and Clay

Robyn is Ron and Bernice's younger daughter.  She lives with her husband Greg, sons Clayton and Colin in Savage Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis.  Greg works for Lufthansa and Robyn works in the medical field.  Clayton and Colin keep busy with school and all the activities for boys 9 and 5.  We had a super steak and shrimp dinner at their home and ate way more than one should eat but it sure was fun. 

Randy, Bird and Jake Anderson

Unfortunately, in the commotion, I did not get a picture of this wonderful family.  Randy and Bird rented our golf course house a few years back while Randy was attending the Language School, studying Spanish.  After Monterey they moved to Uruguay and now Randy is out of the Navy and the family lives in Minneapolis, a very short distance from Ron and Bernice.  Jake is a first grader, so very cute and extremely intelligent.  He attends a Quaker school in St Paul and it certainly seems to be agreeing with him.  We had a delightful brunch on the patio with the Anderson's, eggs and cheese baked over heirloom tomatoes, yummy.  When they moved to Minneapolis they purchased an older home and have done so much work on the inside and outside of the house and their backyard is so inviting, with patio and vegetable producing garden. 

We spent a wonderful morning catching up and hearing about Randy's new job and all of the activities of the family.  They were about to drive to the country and enjoy the day in a corn maze and hay rides.  Again, I am so sorry I do not have a picture.  Hopefully they will come to Monterey in the near future.

Linda

Ron and Bernice's daughter, Linda.  We had a great dinner with her at a a new restaurant near Ron and Bernice's, Tavern on France.  Good food and great company.  Linda is involved in real estate in the Minneapolis area keeps very busy with her job, family, and friends and some traveling thrown in!!

Back in Minneapolis

After about 48 hundred miles we arrived back in Minneapolis, tired, car full of dirty clothes and lots of wonderful memories.  Took two days for all of us to feel rested and wished maybe we could get back on the road again!!!  So sad that we had to turn in the beautiful Cadillac CTS to the rental company.  Was a wonderful car to drive for the 4800 miles--smooth, quiet, fair gas mileage, zippy and looked great.  Had to get back in the Blazer and had forgotten how rough the ride is and how loud it is.  Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Fall has arrived in Minneapolis and the leaves are changing.  So very beautiful.

St. Louis #2

Jefferson Expansion Memorial was establish as a National Park in 1935 to commemorate the westward expansion of the United Sates.   Designed by architect Eero Saarien in 1947, the 630 foot Gateway Arch was built between 1963 and 1965.  It stands as a monument to the city of St. Louis and the diverse group of people that played a role in opening the vast wilderness west of the Mississippi.  You can ride to the top of this arch but it is in these egg shaped trolleys which looked a little claustrophobic to me but besides that problem, there was more than an hour wait and we did need to get on with the trip, so here is a picture!!! 

My Favorites At the Brewery

Beautiful Beast

 




Brewery Wagons





A Leroy Neiman Painting

St. Louis, Missouri

Leaving Memphis, we headed north thru Missouri, next stop St. Louis.  Traveling on Highway 55 thru Tennessee and Missouri is a beautiful drive, lots of rolling hills and beautiful trees.  First stop was the Anheuser-Busch Brewery World Headquarters founded in the 1800s.  Some of the buildings are historic and mostly made from red brick.  The tour included the lobby which has displays of awards, sporting events, beer steins, paintings, etc.  The best part of the tour was first, seeing the Budweiser Clydesdales.  What beautiful and strong creatures we were privileged to see close up. I understand the Clydesdale tradition began in 1933 when Agustus Busch and Adolphus Busch presented their father with a team of horses and a bright red brewery wagon to celebrate the end of prohibition.  Along the tour we learned the process of brewing beer but don't ask me to give you the details.  There are breweries in New Hampshire, California, Colorado and Florida so you can see the process yourself.  At the end of the tour you can sample quite a number of beers, two glasses each.  That is a total of two glasses!!  Since I am not a beer drinker, I had about three swallows of dark beer and Ron and Bernice drank a glass.  Really a fun tour, and free, and I would recommend it to everyone.

Elvis

Do not think I can give you an accurate sense of my feelings during this tour but will attempt to tell you a little about Graceland.

 Have always had the desire to go to Graceland and visit the home of Elvis and here I am.  The tour was set up so you rode a small bus up to the mansion entrance and you were given an audio headphone to listen as we walked thru the mansion.  As we entered the mansion we first saw the living room, the dining room, Elvis' mother's bedroom and the kitchen.   The decor was not as bad as I thought but then we got into the rest of the home.  The pool table room was too much, the walls and ceiling covered with 300 to 350 yards of green plaid, small pleaded fabric.   And then the family room--the jungle room with fur covered furniture and  jungle artifacts.  Oh boy, this was 70's out of this world!!!  Certainly not my style!!  The best and most interesting part of the tour were the rooms with all of Elvis' gold records and awards.  These were beautifully framed and lined the walls from top to bottom.  Hard to believe one man could have so many gold records.  There were also copies of checks that he had written to his favorite charites, mostly children's groups.  Elvis's weddding tuxedo and Pricilla's wedding dress are on display in this area along with a few baby idems of Lisa Marie's.   We did walk by the outdoor pool and saw the horse barns and fields but there are no horses on the property now.  Went into the racquetball court that he had built when he decided to play recquetball.  This building now is full of some of his most colorful and fancy jumpsuits and more walls covered with gold records and awads.  We then passed by the grave sites of his mother, father and grandfather and then, of course, the gravesite of Elvis.  Along the pathway to the exit there are dozens of tributes sent to the manion in memory of The King.  The come from all over the world, from fan clubs and individuals.  Any memorial send to the mansion is displayed until they are too weathered and are then destroyed.

Funny feelings for me walking thru the house where  Elvis lived and called home.  In some ways most things were so interesting and sometimes it felt almost like a funeral .  Most people seemed to walk thru the mansion without speaking or if anyone spoke it was in hushed tones.  Funny reactions by everyone, including myself.  Am I an Elvis fan,?   Yes, of course and I always will be.

Front Entrance to Graceland

National Historic Landmark

Some Famous Jumpsuits

Elvis Has Left The Building

On To Memphis

After a hefty $32.50 charge from the hotel for parking our car, with the help of the trusty GPS, we headed north--destination Memphis, Tennessee.  Driving away from New Orleans, we crossed more elevated highways and the long one, crossing Lake Pontchartrain.  As we headed north we slowly left the masses of pine trees which line the freeways in most of the southern states. On satellite radio we heard that LSU beat Tennessee in last minute of the game, so happy we were not on Bourbon Street Street on Saturday night--could have been very interesting as I am sure Tennessee feels they got robbed.

After settling into our hotel we hastily headed to Beale Street, the Bourbon Street of  Memphis.  Fun to wander down the street listening to jazz, soul, R&R, and hear some groups playing and trying to promote themselves and sell CDs.  Lots of horse and buggies here in Memphis but different in that each buggy has a dog riding with the driver. 

Walked thru the famous Peabody Hotel but we were too late to see the "ducks".  Seems that many years ago a hunter used to stay at the Peabody and at that time they used "live" decoys.  The story goes that as he was drinking in the bar, the ducks were playing in the fountain which sits in the lobby. So it has become a tradition for ducks to be in the lobby fountain but now they only parade thru the lobby to the fountain twice a day and we were too late to see them.  But I can assure you, if you have never been to the Peabody, that the lobby is one of the most elegant I have ever seen.  The beamed ceiling of dark wood was unbelievably gorgeous, along with the elegant chandeliers, the fountain, and stunning wood bar at one end of the lobby.  Running out of adjectives to describe the Peabody!!!

Had dinner at BB King's restaurant on Beale Street, enjoying some of his signature barbecue dishes.  Bernice even enjoyed the ribs!!!

The drive along the river in Memphis was interesting with some of the most beautiful homes sitting on the bluff above the river.  Memphis is a cool city. Tomorrow morning is Graceland.  Can hardly wait.  Need to put on our "Blue Suede Shoes".

The Big Easy

The drive from Pensacola was interesting.  Drove from Florida thru Alabama, Mississippi and into Louisiana.  Notice these states seem to have billboard after billboard, something we in California are not accustomed to.  Beautiful scenery with mile after mile of pine trees lining the highway.  Since this part of the country sits in the low lands, we crossed what seemed like dozens of bridges.  Arriving in New Orleans we found our hotel at the corner of Canal and Bourbon Streets, pretty convenient.  Did a great walk to the river and along the French Market,  of course, stopping at Cafe du Monte, yum.  Wandered thru Jackson Square watching the mimes, palm readers, music groups performing and, of course, the multitudes of tourists.  Wandering thru the French Quarter we admired the old buildings with ornate wrought iron rails with lush greenery growing on and down them.  Along Bourbon Street we stopped for mango daiquiris for a little refreshment and to rest our weary feet.  There was a big football game scheduled for Saturday between Tennessee and LSU so the streets were full of orange clad Tennessee supporters.  Later in the evening we ventured out in the French Quarter and enjoyed dinner, even though Bernice, in New Orleans, ordered a hamburger!!  But I tried a Louisiana dish, Shrinp Etouffee.  Wonderful experience and I have looked up the recipe.  If you are interested, look it up on the internet.  Maybe some of us can try making it sometime.  By this time of the evening Bourbon Street was really hopping and we enjoyed the wildness for a while but being old folks, we finally had to call it an evening.

New Orleans




 

Is there anything else in New Orleans?

And is there any other place to get them?

Ron Bernice

First Time in New Orleans

Bourbon Street

Friday night on Bourbon Street!!

Dinner in Pensacola, Florida

Captain Robert Mitchell

Dinner With Captain Mitchell

Ron, Bernice and I were honored to have dinner with Captain Robert Mitchell (Bob) while we visited Pensacola.  He has had a very interesting and long career in the Navy.  He is now 92 years young and such a delightful person to converse with, especially talking about his career in the Navy and he certainly is proud of his children and grandchildren.  We had dinner at  McQuires Irish Pub in Pensacola and felt so privileged to have spent the evening with such a fine person.  I am enclosing a biography of Captain Mitchell so you will have some idea of his illustrious career.

Captain Robert E. Mitchell, MC, USN (Ret)


Naval Flight Surgeon

Honorary Naval AviatorB

CAPT Robert E. Mitchell graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1942, and received his medical degree from the McGill University Faculty of Medicine in Montreal, Canada in 1947. Performing his internship and residency at the U.S. Naval Hospitals in San Diego and Oakland, he attended the Army Medical Service Graduate School at Walter Reed Army Medical Center before being designated a Naval Flight Surgeon at Naval Air Station Pensacola in 1955. His career included service ashore and afloat, including duty as Senior Medical Officer on the carrier Shangri-La (CVA 38), Staff Medical Officer for the First Marine Aircraft Wing in Vietnam, and Senior Medical Officer and Commanding Officer of the U.S. Naval Hospital at NS Rota, Spain. He spent fifteen years in various posts at the U.S. Naval School of Aviation Medicine, and Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, culminating with command of the latter. During this time, he played the leading role in the "Thousand Aviator Study", and a program of medical evaluation of repatriated Vietnam prisoners of war, both landmark studies that have contributed immeasurably to the medical field. Active to this day in these studies, "Doc" Mitchell is a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association and Royal Society of Medicine, and during his career has accumulated 2,000 flight hours, including many under combat conditions.

Ron and Bernice

Ron and Bernice all dressed up and enjoying the banquet. Great fun and everyone enjoyed the talk by Charles Duke, a member of the 526, who became an astronaut and was a lunar module pilot on Apollo 16.

Dinner Cruise Which Was Part Of The Reunion

Rip Roaring Ramstein Reunion

Rip Roaring Ramstein Reunion

There's no mistaking the Don Cesar Beach Resort and Spa. Instantly known as Florida's Pink Castle when it opened back in 1928, this ten-story hotel sits on the sugary sands of St. Pete Beach, an island in the Gulf of Mexico. Mediterranean and Moorish architectural motifs and the hotel's cotton-candy-colored facade and lush tropical surroundings stand in inviting contrast against Florida's Caribbean-blue sky. Originally named for the chivalrous Don Ce-Sar in Vincent Wallace's light opera Maritana, the Don (as it is locally known) was built by Thomas Rowe, who spared no expense on this balcony- and terrace-lined building. Marble fountains, lofty ceilings and rich furnishings are just a few of the alluring details of this 277-guest-room resort, most with views of the Gulf of Mexico or Boca Ciega Bay. Easy access to the beach, golf shuttles, two pools, a full-service fitness center and spa, children's activities, daily sailing and waverunning clinics--it even served as a training camp for the New York Yankees.

This hotel was a perfect spot for the Rip Roaring Ramstein Reunion that I attended.  This was a reunion of the 417th and 526 Tactical Fighter Squadrons originally based in Ramstein and Hahn Air Force Bases in Germany.  As you can imagine there were lots of "old fighter pilot" stories all around the hotel.  My first husband, Duane, was a pilot in the 417th so I try to attend these reunions, which happen every two years.

On arriving at the hotel Ron and Bernice began investigating the hotel and I splurged on a pedicure and manicure in the hotel.  The pedicure so welcome after the long days of walking at Disney World.  Walking around the grounds we ran into an old friend, Earl and his lovely new wife, Shirley.  After lots of chit chat we enjoyed dinner on the outdoor patio.  My friend Annie, from southern California, showed up and we made plans for the next day.  Days were spent walking the beach or sitting in the hospitality room swapping stories from the "old days".  Great to see old friends like the Sarchets, the Mussers, the Tanners, the Godfrey kids, Dave Rohr and his two lovely daughters, the Deeds and many more old friends.  Looking forward to San Diego in two years.

Epcot Center

Sad to say but I do not have any pictures at the Epcot Center but it was a rather miserable day, so hot, so humid and rain off and on all day.  One fun thing we did was ride the cars in the General Motors Test Track.  They gave us some experiences with braking, cornering, rough roads and then a fast ride up to 60MPH.  Fun but not as exciting as they had hyped it up to be.  We experienced a boat ride showing us how they are growing fish and plants in small places and more naturally.  Pretty interesting.  The ride into the large sphere (the big golf ball) that is the logo for the Center was fun but right now it escapes me as to what I saw!!!  Saw the energy show narrated by Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye.  Fun and sort of educational.  Between rain storms we walked thru all of the exhibits from all of the countries, Spain, Germany, Canada, etc, etc. There is the ride "Soaring over California" which is a popular ride but even getting a fast pass was impossible.  I have done that ride at Disneyland and Bernice and Ron do not do well with that sort of thing, they get sick!!

So, we took the monorail back to the hotel and headed to the casual pool bar.  It was Friday night and Karaoke night and the bar was full of enlisted guys and they were having a ball.  We enjoyed some bar food and enjoyed the guys singing and having a great time.  I bought all of them a round of drinks (anonymously) and they all cheered and drank more.  Of course, we had a "few" ourselves and finally gave up as the bar closed at 11 PM and everyone had to give up and head to their rooms.  This was a super duper hotel and we enjoyed everything about it.  Next morning we had Starbucks and a cinnamon roll, jumped in the car, our super red Cadillac, and headed to the Rip Roaring Ramstein Reunion in St. Pete's Beach, about 3 hours west of Orlando on the Gulf of Mexico.

Disney Pictures

Sleeping Beauty's Castle and Ron and Bernice

Watch Out For the Snakes and Alligators

This is what the car ride looks like from inside the car.

The Happiest Place In The World

My mind is going!!  Forgot to write about our trip to the Magic Kingdom before we went to the Kennedy Space Center.  We were very fortunate to stay at Shades of Green, a DOD hotel in the resort area of Disney World.  Park your car and ride buses or the monorail all over the 28,000 acres.  A very nice hotel with several great restaurants, golf course, gift shops, small exchange, laundry and fun bar.  We spend one evening in the bar with loads of enlisted guys doing karaoke and having the time of their lives.

First day was our trip to the Magic Kingdom.  Oh my, this humidity can zap your energy in a short time but at the Park there are lots of areas to sit in air conditioning and we carried water for hydration.  The Jungle Ride was first on the list and luckily, no lines.  Just as good as I remembered from Disney Land, and more importantly, cool. Next, and again, no line, we did Pirates.  Always a favorite of mine and Ron and Ron and Bernice enjoyed it, not to mention that we were out of the heat.  Much to my family's destain, we did the Tiki Hut.  I love that place with all of the great music.  I did Splash Mountain alone as Ron and Bernice took the warnings of "bad back, high blood pressure", etc to heart and just watched. Can you believe it, but I got the front seat and got a good soaking but no complaints as it cooled me down for a while!!!  We did ride on the big river boat and went in and out of exhibits.  We also rode the car ride which was different.  No way to get into trouble on this ride as you could only steer left or right a short distance and they went pretty slow.  I really wanted Ron and Bernice to experience It's A Small World but would you believe, it was under reconstruction.  Too bad, everyone should do that once in their lifetime.  Ha!  As we were exiting the park we were fortunate to watch the ceremony as the flag was taken down.  Lots of pomp and circumstance in the ceremony, patriotic music  and marching band.  Quite impressive.  Three old folks limped their way on the monorail and bus back to some relaxation at the hotel.  A really fun day for all of us.

Welcome to Kennedy SpaceCenter

Quite an impressive spot for visitors.  This is the home of America's Space Shuttle, the last place on earth for International Space Station hardware and where probes are sent deep into space.  It is where visitors roam the historic trails of Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo.  We saw the largest rocket ever made--the mighty Saturn V,  America's lunar transportation.  27 brave men, secured atop a 36-foot rocket, journeyed to the moon and back, fulfilling the dreams and imagination of people around the world.  We enjoyed a 45 minute movie showing rocket launches, shuttle launches and work that is being done on and in the Space Station.  Seeing pictures of scientists working and moving in and about the Space Station was especially interesting..
 Leaving the Kennedy Center we visited the US Astronaut Hall of Fame.  Here is the largest collection of personal astronaut memorabilia ever assembled.  There are pictures of all of the astronauts and a listing of each mission they were part of.  Loads and loads of interesting stories of the space program from the beginning to present day.

At The Kennedy Space Center

Here is yours truly at Kennedy Space Center

Peek of Shuttle Discovery at Kennedy Space Center

Shuttle Discovery sitting on launch pad waiting for a November liftoff.  You can just get a peek !!

Atlantic Ocean and Florida Lighthouse

In the Atlantic Ocean, such warm water.

At the top of the lighthouse in St Augustine

Into Florida

Well, one more state to add to the list--today we entered Florida, just a few miles from King's Bay Sub Base.  Now we are headed to St Augustine, Florida, the city that Ponce de Leon looked for the fountain of youth but, like him, we were unsuccessful.  But it is a beautiful city along the coast where German Subs sat along the coast and shot artillery during WWII.  Scary to know they got so close to our shores.

St. Augustine is the home of the Ponce de Leon Lighthouse, Florida's tallest lighthouse, 203 steps, which yours truly climbed.  Actually an easy climb with a lovely view from the top.

Here is where I finally got my feet in the Atlantic Ocean.  So, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, I made it!!  Now have to make it back.  Driving south along the coast was beautiful and the water was so warm.  Drove by the Daytona Speedway and that place is huge.  Looks so much larger in real life than on TV, not that I am a NASCAR fan.  Then our car was pulling us inland toward the Orlando area and Disney World.  We managed to make a few wrong turns before arriving at Shades of Green, a DOD hotel in the Disney Resort area.  I am impressed with the hotel and our room is huge.  So tomorrow, Magic Kingdom!!!

St Mary's Pictures

Typical home in St. Mary's

                Beautiful park along the St, Mary's River

                                         

Kings Bay Submarine Base

I made a fairly big mistake in selecting a hotel after spending the day in Savannah.  I decided the Navy Lodge at Kings Bay would be a good  spot ($51/night) and we could drive back to Savannah the next day and see more of the history there.  But, bad planning, as it is almost 3 hours from Savannnah to the base.  We didn't get there until dark and had a heck of a time finding the Lodge, but finally settled in and decided to make any decisions after we had a good night's rest.  In the AM we talked with a lovely reservation clerk who gave us good info on the area and we decided not to drive back to Savannah, but to visit the small town of St, Mary's.  First, we drove around the Sub base and saw what we had missed in the dark the night before.  This is a beautiful base, loads of trees and greenery and what appeared to be very nice on-base housing.  There is a bike/walking trail all around the base and I walked a short way on it one evening.  Only think missing was submarines--never saw one!

We drove off the base and to the city of St Mary's, the gateway to Cumberland Island National Seashore, the largest of the Georgia Coast's barrier islands.  The city is situated on the St Mary's River and quaint with white picket fences and historic buildings.  Loved the City park along the river and looking out to the Cumberland Island National Seashore.  A lovely setting even thought it was hot and humid, which seems to be norm for the area.

Savannah pictures

This ship came by us along the Savannah River and  was carrying coffee beans from Panama and they could have been some Steven and Taressa saw recently in Panama!!!

                                   Horse drawn carriage which we rode in around Savannah.

Savannah

Savannah,, the lovely city in southern Georgia, is based on the ingenious system of squares.  In this grid-like model of urban planning, homes, churches and businesses surround each square, creating a network of interconnected neighborhoods.  Riding in a horse drawn carriage, our guide filled us with so much history that it rattled my brain.  Only a few things stuck in my head:  the streets are built over cemeteries; James Oglethorpe, along with a native American leader, Tomochichi, created the city in the heart of the Georgia wilderness;  Forrest Gump was filmed in Savannah; this is the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts and her home is painted the same colors as the Brownie uniforms;  Sherman's men spent so much time in a Savannah cemetery and had nothing to do so they recarved many of the grave markers so if you walk around you will see many weird dates, like a woman who had 5 children when she was ten years old; and the architecture of the city is outstanding.  We cruised by Paula Dean's and listened to some jazz in the city center.  A short walk down to the river found many more shops and restaurants and the beautiful river.  Had a great dinner in a pub along the river, shrimp and hushpuppies, before leaving the lovely, but hot and humid Savannah ,driving south to Kings Bay Sub Station.

Leaving Atlanta

The day finally arrived and we had to say goodbye to George, Mary, Lovely Jen and Sam the boss cat. I cannot tell you what a wonderful time we had with this delightful family. Things that stick in my mind are; great conversations over pot after pot of coffee, great meals prepared by Mary, site seeing in and around Atlanta, seeing the stunning jewelry designed by Lovely Jen, enjoying Mary and George's lovely and spacious home, playing with Sam and having him wake us up at 6 am howling like crazy, watching Ron sweep leaves from the deck and then in a few hours having the deck covered again, walks thru the beautiful neighborhood, our time in the C130 simulator, watching George eat his sugar free pudding loaded with whipped cream and then letting Sam lick a spoon of whipped cream, just to name a few. Thank you guys for a week of fond memories.

For us we now head for Savannah and more southern history. Happy trails to us
Sent from m iPhone

C130 Simulator

This is my ID used for a special trip to Lockheed Martin in Marietta, GA. George is a retired Air Force pilot who has thousands of hours in the C130 and now is in the C130 program at Lockheed. He is in the simulator department and was able to take all of us in the C130 simulator. What fun and educational. I tried to fly the plane and you all would have gotten a good laugh. There is a small wheel at your left hand to keep the nose wheel straight as you taxi down the runway for takeoff. Well, I could not keep it straight and we took off going to the left of the runway!! I managed to fly all over the sky and could not find the airport when I needed to land. Hard to believe I have a private pilot's license! Lovely Jen was next and did a great job with good coaching from dad, George. Bernice was up next and found it was harder than it looked when you just stand and watch. She was all over the sky and her blood pressure probably jumped way out of line!! It is amazing how realistic it is when you are sitting in the cockpit and "flying" the plane It was an adventure that none of us will ever forget. Thank you George.

"Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!!"

Bernice and I were fortunate to visit the home, in Atlanta, where Margaret Mitchell wrote Gone With The Wind.  It was interesting to learn that she never thought the book was written well.  Quite an interesting tour, especially the video that showed how some of the stars of the movie were cast, how many directors and writers and camera men came and went during the filming, and how the sets were set up for some of the huge scenes.  And, of course, the big star for us, Mr. Clark Gable!!!

(no subject)

For My Republican Friends

A nice tour of CNN in Atlanta. Didn't see any of their "celebrity" newscasters but interesting to see how broadcasts are set up and aired. The escalator is one of the longest in the world, taking over two minutes to ride to the 8th floor. All in all, interesting to see the actual broadcasting studios, the huge cameras and teleprompters, and learn how the weather people manipulate the screens.

Sam

This is Sam, a beautiful 17 year old cat who rules the roost here in Georgia!! He belongs to lovely Jennifer but everyone caters to him. As soon as dinner is being put on the dining table he sits on the floor near the table and waits for his tuna or salmon treat which he eats while we have dinner. If he doesn't get what he wants he meows loudly until he gets someone to feed him or pay attention to him.

Chihuly glass

This is a spectacular piece done by Dale Chihuly for the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. I think I took a great picture if I do say so myself!!

Atlant

Ron, Bernice, Mary and Jennifer at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. What a lovely collection of trees, roses, orchids, plants and sculptures. Atlanta is so hot and humid so it was nice to go in the tropical building where there was lots of misting!!

Atlanta, Here We Come

Leaving Nashville, we set the old GPS on Woodstock, Georgia, home of Larry's sister, Mary, her husband, George and their daughter, lovely Jennifer.  Not much excitement on the way, but fun to see more of Tennessee, which has such beautiful mountains and trees and again a first for me, driving thru Kentucky, another beautiful state and hopefully sometime I will see more of it, especially Louisville, home of the Kentucky Derby. 

We have many places to visit in and near Atlanta so will be busy here for a few days.  Looking forward to the Coca Cola tour, Centennial Olympic Park, CNN, Margaret Mitchell home, etc. etc.  We are so fortunate to be with George, Mary and Jennifer as they are the host and hostess' with the mostest!!!

More about all of this at a later time.  The CTS is a great ride and we are enjoying it thoroughly.  Happy Trails to Us.

Addendum to Nashville

Hope I won't have as many mistakes in this message as I did the last two!!!  Just wanted to mention that on the morning we left Nashville we decided to drive down town and see the original Grand Old Oprey, which is the Ryman building.  Also, the street where so many entertainers had played and maybe became famous, is there also.  So off we go with the GPS giving us the directions.  Well, believe it or not, but the Titans, the football team of Nashville was having a home game and the streets were a mess.  Their stadium is very close to the down town area and all of the parking garages were closed and the parking meters were covered so you could not use them.  Many of the corner lots were set up for parking but it cost a whopping $20 and the Titan fans were happy to pay.  All we wanted was about 60 minutes at the most, so after driving around the block a few times we decided that Ron and Bernice would hop out of the car and take some pictures and I would drive around the block until they were finished.  So, amongst the Titan fans and a few Raider fans, Ron and Bernice jumped out of the car and took off for a picture taking adventure.  I drove around and around, wishing a parking place would come available, but no such luck.  After a few spins Ron and Bernice got back in the car and we left town, heading to Atlanta.  Probably not the best way to see Nashville, but at least it wasn't a total loss.

Sorry For the rMessed Up Message

Pictures of Larry's brother, Ron and his wife, Bernice and also me, with a rental car.  Larry thought we would not be comfortable in the Blazer and said we should get a more comfortable vehicle.  Pretty snazzy, don't you think?  First day we drove to Bloomington, IL, just because that was as far as we wanted to go and then the next day into to Memphis,  TN.  Thought we would get a picture of the Grand Old Opry even though it is not open yet since the flood in May,  but no such luck.  You cannot get close to it until they are ready to reopen.  How lucky can one be?  Did drive to downtown Nashville and saw the Titan's stadium and some of city center but that was about it.  Saw the area where the big flood happened but you cannot get close to the buildings.  But it was fun driving thru Wisconsin, a first for me, into Illinois, then Kentucky and then Tennessee another first for me.  Got pretty tired of corn and soy bean fields but the scenery in Tennessee is much nicer, many trees and some hills.

Tomorrow we will drive to Woodstock, Georgia, to visit Larry's sister, Mary, her husband George and daughter, Jennifer.  Will be fun to see them and spend time in their home.

For a chuckle, think of three over 70 year olds in a bright red Cadillac CTS, cruising down the freeway listening to 50's music on the satellite radio!  Should keep you entertained for a while.

HERE WE GO

Leaving Minnea

Ravine Lake, a Little History Lesson

Evelyn and I drove to Ravine Lake to see what had been the old bathhouse.  It is now a restaurant and ice cream store.  As you can see, Evelyn enjoyed a big dish of butter brickle ice cream.  There are old pictures displayed at the bathhouse and she is holding a picture of her sons, Ron and Larry, taken at the lake in 1948  That was a fun day for Evelyn.

I spent 2-1/2 days with Evelyn and we had a great time, talking about her past and her family.  She forgets things but then all of the sudden it will come back.  She also invited me to eat with her at her table in the nursing home.  It was important for her to have me see her routine and meet the other ladies at the table.  Can't say much for the food but it was enjoyable to see her daily life in the dining room. Regretfully, I had to say goodbye to my dear mother-in-law and head further east.  She is a wonderful lady and I feel so privileged to be part of her life.

Not much interesting from Huron to Minneapolis.  Lots of corn fields but I have always enjoyed seeing all of the silos on the farms, different sizes; some fat, some skinny, some short, some tall.  But, let me tell you, corn field after corn field can become pretty boring.  But now I am at Ron (Larry's brother) and Bernice's home in Minneapolis and we are preparing to leave on Friday and head to Larry's sister, Mary's, home near Atlanta.

Have only been in the Atlanta airport so looking forward to seeing the city.  Coca Cola here we come!!

Happy Trails to us!!

Lovely Evelyn

Evelyn Friese who was 95 years young in January.  She lives in a nursing home in Huron, SD and loves to go for rides around town and see how the town has changed over the years.

Very Unusual Place

If you have never been to Mt Rushmore you should make a point of visiting there.  Unless you are there in person you cannot experience the feeling of patriotism you feel when seeing those four faces chiseled in the rock.  I was there 36 years ago and this time was just as awe inspiring.  All of the flags of each state are flying as you walk toward the mountain and it gave me the chills.  So beautiful.

Leaving Mt. Rushmore I continued my drive toward Huron, SD, Larry's hometown.  On the way you have to stop at Wall Drug.  Where the hell is Wall Drug?  Out in the middle of no where is a huge western looking store that sells everything-- food, drinks, donuts, clothing, postcards, key chains, coffee mugs, guns, trinkets, jewelry and would you believe, even drugs!!!  Well worth the stop just for a milkshake made with homemade ice cream.