Las Vegas and Conference
A great day! The weather was perfect, our hotel was great, and we listened to three full sessions of General Conference. As it was on local cable, very few were in the church building with us - just the local full-time missionaries. They must have a big stake though, as there were 500 or more men in the Priesthood Session. Very impressive! The chapel and gym were filled. We enjoyed breakfast at the Marriott with Jennifer Baldwin. She works here in Las Vegas as a financial advisor. After the evening session, KR and I had dinner with Michael Gardineer (insurance broker), Carlos Delorenzis, and the latter's wife Vanessa (the sister of Jennifer Baldwin). He is working and going to school (wants to go to dental school).
Got Water?
After breakfast and packing up, we took a short side trip in to the Alabama Hills, the movie-making area at the foot of the taller Sierras. They are a totally different kind of rock and color. We drove along "movie road" and noticed they already have signage placed for the filming that will shortly take place here.
Heading eastward now, we skirted the dry Owens Lake and headed into Death Valley National Park. The area was not really what I expected. I had always envisioned, for some reason, a gradual drop into a valley. But in thinking about it, since you have to go from 6,000 feet to under sea level in a relatively short time, it would make sense that the drop would be something more dramatic. And so it was - very ear-popping dramatic. At least entering the Park from the west, you go down a very steep and winding road to a flat, desolate valley floor. There are a few park-related places with services and rooms, but not much else.
The drive into Las Vegas was uneventful and we arrived late afternoon, going through Death Valley Junction and Pahrump. We checked at one place on the Strip, but a spring break weekend is not the time to get rooms on the fly in Vegas. We finally found a room at a Courtyard Mariott in Henderson. Since we were only there to visit with some missionaries and watch conference, it was perfect. There was a building with conference just a few blocks away.
Heading eastward now, we skirted the dry Owens Lake and headed into Death Valley National Park. The area was not really what I expected. I had always envisioned, for some reason, a gradual drop into a valley. But in thinking about it, since you have to go from 6,000 feet to under sea level in a relatively short time, it would make sense that the drop would be something more dramatic. And so it was - very ear-popping dramatic. At least entering the Park from the west, you go down a very steep and winding road to a flat, desolate valley floor. There are a few park-related places with services and rooms, but not much else.
The drive into Las Vegas was uneventful and we arrived late afternoon, going through Death Valley Junction and Pahrump. We checked at one place on the Strip, but a spring break weekend is not the time to get rooms on the fly in Vegas. We finally found a room at a Courtyard Mariott in Henderson. Since we were only there to visit with some missionaries and watch conference, it was perfect. There was a building with conference just a few blocks away.
Seeking Higher Elevation
What a beautiful day it was - the temperature was just perfect. A good time to visit California. The morning found us at the Channel Islands National Park Visitor's Center and on the beach looking out at the islands. You can take a boat trip and see them, but we couldn't spend the whole day here. Maybe another time. The Park VC is on the Ventura Harbor, and it has a nice marina and downtown area. The beaches right in the city are wonderful and clean. We were amazed at the size and quality of the farms in the area. Evidently, they grow a large crop of strawberries here. The Channel Islands can be seen in the background of the picture of KR on the Ventura beach.
As we headed inland from the coast, we hit I-5 by Lancaster and took a jog north into the desert. There was a point where all the freeways kind of came together and we hit the perfect "spot" for Mike and Matt's Freeway Semi Game. The record had been 12 and I shattered it with a never-to-be-eclipsed 23. It was as if my whole life came together in the perfect moment. The trucks even sensed it and everything seemed to slow down for a moment so more trucks could come into view. Eat your heart out Matt.....23.
The landscape changed dramatically as we headed into the Mojave Desert. We passed the huge aviation center at Edwards AFB and China Lake. There was a jetliner graveyard there, where they store older commercial aircraft for possible future use and parts. It is very dry out there and a good place to store them so they won't deteriorate. Jon, I saw a good business opportunity for you along the lonely road to Lone Pine. Nothing else for miles and it is for sale! A bed and breakfast. When we first passed and then turned around to take the picture, there was a buzzard in the tree. That is the picture I wanted, but by the time we got back he had flown away. ARRGGHH! A bed and breakfast perhaps? There is a nice dry lake bed at China Lake to enjoy. And they could always go on a day trip to the Salton Sea.
In mid-afternoon, we finally entered the Owens Valley, the scene of the famous water dispute between the City of Los Angeles and the locals. In the 1920's and 30's, LA bought all the water rights and most of the land in the area, and then built the LA Aqueduct, diverting the Owens River into LA for water. Owens Lake has since dried up and it has of course stopped most development in the area since that time. It is a high-elevation valley, but truly still dominated by the Sierra Nevada to the west. Mt. Whitney, the tallest point in the Lower 48 dominates the skyline. The air is very clean here and it seems you can reach out and touch the mountains. We visited Manzanar, one of the bigger Japanese internment camps. They have recently redone the site and the exhibits are first class. Very sobering story. We ate dinner and stayed in Lone Pine. It is an old Hollywood movie town (mostly old westerns). The restaurant where we dined was full of pictures of stars that had passed through during filming. When we were checking into our hotel, the lot next door was filled with Paramount vehicles, as they are to begin filming a movie called Ironman here next week. It will star Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow.
As we headed inland from the coast, we hit I-5 by Lancaster and took a jog north into the desert. There was a point where all the freeways kind of came together and we hit the perfect "spot" for Mike and Matt's Freeway Semi Game. The record had been 12 and I shattered it with a never-to-be-eclipsed 23. It was as if my whole life came together in the perfect moment. The trucks even sensed it and everything seemed to slow down for a moment so more trucks could come into view. Eat your heart out Matt.....23.
The landscape changed dramatically as we headed into the Mojave Desert. We passed the huge aviation center at Edwards AFB and China Lake. There was a jetliner graveyard there, where they store older commercial aircraft for possible future use and parts. It is very dry out there and a good place to store them so they won't deteriorate. Jon, I saw a good business opportunity for you along the lonely road to Lone Pine. Nothing else for miles and it is for sale! A bed and breakfast. When we first passed and then turned around to take the picture, there was a buzzard in the tree. That is the picture I wanted, but by the time we got back he had flown away. ARRGGHH! A bed and breakfast perhaps? There is a nice dry lake bed at China Lake to enjoy. And they could always go on a day trip to the Salton Sea.
In mid-afternoon, we finally entered the Owens Valley, the scene of the famous water dispute between the City of Los Angeles and the locals. In the 1920's and 30's, LA bought all the water rights and most of the land in the area, and then built the LA Aqueduct, diverting the Owens River into LA for water. Owens Lake has since dried up and it has of course stopped most development in the area since that time. It is a high-elevation valley, but truly still dominated by the Sierra Nevada to the west. Mt. Whitney, the tallest point in the Lower 48 dominates the skyline. The air is very clean here and it seems you can reach out and touch the mountains. We visited Manzanar, one of the bigger Japanese internment camps. They have recently redone the site and the exhibits are first class. Very sobering story. We ate dinner and stayed in Lone Pine. It is an old Hollywood movie town (mostly old westerns). The restaurant where we dined was full of pictures of stars that had passed through during filming. When we were checking into our hotel, the lot next door was filled with Paramount vehicles, as they are to begin filming a movie called Ironman here next week. It will star Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Trapped in Tar?
The morning came early and we were off....to see Joshua Tree National Park. We cut the gas a little tight and should have filled up in Indio. When we got out to the Park, there were not exactly any services. And we had to go about a billion miles into the Park to see the first joshua tree. So....we checked out the visitor's center and had a little desert experience (I am looking for a gas station). They asked if we had seen a roadrunner. I said I think I hit one with the car a few miles back.....I didn't know they were so sensitive about the roadrunners (the woman ranger didn't crack a smile). As we drove toward LA afterward, we came to a windmill farm that was huge! There were hundreds of wind generators going side by side.
We had a nice lunch in the Buena Park area with J.T. and Britney Steele (he is in law school there). They had a new baby daughter in January. It is fun to talk about Honduras. We could do it for hours. Such wonderful memories. It was a beautiful day and we have a good navigator (KR), so we made it through LA alright and went right to the La Brea Tar Pits. We even found parking right on the street next to the gate. A very interesting place. Lots of fossil bones from the ice age-era have been found in the pits and they are on display in the museum. Methane gas still bubbles from the water of the pits and you can imagine something getting stuck in them even today. As the sun set, we headed down Wilshire to the beach and then caught the Pacific Coast Highway along Malibu. People were surfing, but the beaches were deserted. As we rounded the corner, we entered Oxnard\Ventura, where we ate dinner and stayed the night.
We had a nice lunch in the Buena Park area with J.T. and Britney Steele (he is in law school there). They had a new baby daughter in January. It is fun to talk about Honduras. We could do it for hours. Such wonderful memories. It was a beautiful day and we have a good navigator (KR), so we made it through LA alright and went right to the La Brea Tar Pits. We even found parking right on the street next to the gate. A very interesting place. Lots of fossil bones from the ice age-era have been found in the pits and they are on display in the museum. Methane gas still bubbles from the water of the pits and you can imagine something getting stuck in them even today. As the sun set, we headed down Wilshire to the beach and then caught the Pacific Coast Highway along Malibu. People were surfing, but the beaches were deserted. As we rounded the corner, we entered Oxnard\Ventura, where we ate dinner and stayed the night.
From Snow to Desert
We were up early for our missionary breakfast and Lance Banks (and his special friend) picked us up at the hotel. We went to the Hash House a Go-Go (really), but, despite the name, it was quite good and the portions were too much for one person to eat. Good place to go and split a breakfast. So if you are in San Diego, check it out. We had a great time with the Wignall's (Ph.D student in economics - teach?), the future Lance Banks community property partnership (both in law school), and Tate Lounsbery (practicing law in San Diego). It was fun catching up and talking about those incredible times in Honduras.
Lance dropped us back at the hotel and we caught the shuttle to the airport to rent our car. They upgraded up to an nice, brand-new Ford Edge. Zero miles. Very nice little car, peppy and nice amenities, with full leather. We found our way to the end of Point Lomas, after driving through a military reservation and a gigantic military cemetery. At the end of the Point, there is a fantastic view of San Diego and the harbor, as well as the Cabrillo National Monument, celebrating the landing of the Spanish by sea for the first time in what is now U.S. soil (California).
We headed north out of San Diego through Escondido, then northwestward into the mountains. I found a metal namesake alongside the road (see picture). We were getting hungry (can you tell?). It got colder and colder as we wound through the trees up Palomar Mountain. The goal was to see the Palomar Observatory. In fact, the weather got downright nasty. We had on San Diego clothes and I thought KR was going to get frostbite. Then the Palomar dome appeared out of the mist and clouds. Spooky place actually. The buildings and dome were built in the 1930's and have that solid look and feel to them. It is one of those spots that stays with you and you don't forget it. As we entered the dome, the cold air was whipping around the side and we hurried in; as we came out it was hailing heavily and we ran to the car!
We drove due east to the Salton Sea (I wanted to see it). If you have the urge, scratch it off your list! Reminded me of a sewage treatment plant pond. Grey, ugly water....and the smell! Enough to gag a maggot. There were actually houses being built in the area and I don't know how they stand it. We ate dinner and got a room in Indio, home of thousands of date palms and the annual date festival. Who would have known?
Lance dropped us back at the hotel and we caught the shuttle to the airport to rent our car. They upgraded up to an nice, brand-new Ford Edge. Zero miles. Very nice little car, peppy and nice amenities, with full leather. We found our way to the end of Point Lomas, after driving through a military reservation and a gigantic military cemetery. At the end of the Point, there is a fantastic view of San Diego and the harbor, as well as the Cabrillo National Monument, celebrating the landing of the Spanish by sea for the first time in what is now U.S. soil (California).
We headed north out of San Diego through Escondido, then northwestward into the mountains. I found a metal namesake alongside the road (see picture). We were getting hungry (can you tell?). It got colder and colder as we wound through the trees up Palomar Mountain. The goal was to see the Palomar Observatory. In fact, the weather got downright nasty. We had on San Diego clothes and I thought KR was going to get frostbite. Then the Palomar dome appeared out of the mist and clouds. Spooky place actually. The buildings and dome were built in the 1930's and have that solid look and feel to them. It is one of those spots that stays with you and you don't forget it. As we entered the dome, the cold air was whipping around the side and we hurried in; as we came out it was hailing heavily and we ran to the car!
We drove due east to the Salton Sea (I wanted to see it). If you have the urge, scratch it off your list! Reminded me of a sewage treatment plant pond. Grey, ugly water....and the smell! Enough to gag a maggot. There were actually houses being built in the area and I don't know how they stand it. We ate dinner and got a room in Indio, home of thousands of date palms and the annual date festival. Who would have known?
South for the Season
KR and I snagged a plane for a little trip to the Southwest in search of some heat. We flew out of Seattle and the intent also is to meet up with some of our now-scattered missionaries for some mini-reunions. We sent out a general email with our intinerary and have been getting calls from missionaries in the various places we are going to visit - so it ought to work out well. We left Seattle late in the evening and arrived without incident in San Diego about 10pm. The hotel shuttle was shut down for the night, so they paid for a taxi to the hotel for us. The airport is quite close to downtown and we were in bed sleeping in record time.
Emmett and Concrete
Emmett, Will and I were driving around Wenatchee finding large vehicles of whatever kind.....just to look at them and tell each other what they were....you know....because boys like to do that sort of stuff.....anyway......after we left the train yard, we went by the cement plant on South Wenatchee Street by the Hospitality House. I shouted out, "Look at all the cement trucks"! Will said, "Yeah, cement trucks". Then there was a pause, and I heard Emmett whisper, "Those are concrete mixers". And then he whispered, "I know what redimix is".
Hanging with the Grandchildren
KR and I had the grandkids for three days and you can see it was a fun time......some good memories. They were angels and we got to know them a lot better. Here they are - a picture says a thousand words. And the boys learned how to paint rocks with water! (March 13-15)
March Madness
Mark and I have a new name this year for our team in March Madness: No Hope. Since we are the only team in the group to never win, a new reverse-psychology approach is in order. We do not want to win. There is no hope. Wish us luck. Our teams are: Ohio State, UCLA, Texas A&M, Washington State, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Arizona, Georgia Tech, Michigan State, VCU, Old Dominion, Long Beach State, Oral Roberts, Miami of Ohio, Belmont and Niagara.
Family Time
Well, I am getting old. And the more miles I roam and put on these feet, the more I am convinced that things mean nothing and people mean everything. I love my family and I love to be with my family. Jon, Cher and kids arrived Friday and it was so nice to be with them. The kids are growing up too fast. Emmett was in heaven with his cousins, and intently watched them and followed them around. We did some simple and fun things over the weekend together: visiting, eating at Denny's, resting, reading, attending church, enjoying a dinner at our place with the extended family, a picnic in Cashmere, throwing rocks in the river, playing on the toys at Walla Walla park, playing catch, throwing the football around, wandering around the antique store in Cashmere, and just being together. Monday night we had a FHE with the Clive's, Sauer's, Stone's, and Harker's, then afterwards did our March Madness selections. (March 9-12)
Pictures below are as follows: 1) Mark & Emmett at Denny's, 2) Emmett the Cow at the Primary Talent Show, 3) picnic at Cashmere City Park beside the Wenatchee River, 4) Miniarms & Noah, 5) Mark helping Emmett on the swings, 6) Jon & Noah playing by the Wenatchee, 7) the annual March Madness draft at our place with the Stone's, Clive's, Harker's, Sauer's & Anderton's.
Pictures below are as follows: 1) Mark & Emmett at Denny's, 2) Emmett the Cow at the Primary Talent Show, 3) picnic at Cashmere City Park beside the Wenatchee River, 4) Miniarms & Noah, 5) Mark helping Emmett on the swings, 6) Jon & Noah playing by the Wenatchee, 7) the annual March Madness draft at our place with the Stone's, Clive's, Harker's, Sauer's & Anderton's.
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