JimmyandPatti’s Weblog

Great advice from Horace Greeley…even if you’re not a young man!

When we started this blog, it was based upon the premise that life’s a bus ride…a wonderful analogy from our friend Laurie.  Life is like that…pick a destination, enjoy the ride and those you meet. Getting there is only a small part of the trip!

This bus ride lasted more than two years, although it felt much shorter…or went by much quicker..depending on how you look at it.  Our “bus ride” actually had hundreds of real bus rides within it if you count all of the mass transit and airport shuttles   Although our original plans included about 3 years or so on the east coast – we couldn’t pass up a wonderful opportunity to return to Oregon – and so here we go again!

Our last day in Arlington and first stroll through Hillside Park

Hillside park is right next to our apartment and was our favorite little shortcut on the way to work and shopping.  It had been closed for most of the year for an upgrade with new steps, decks, and landscaping.  We initially thought we wouldn’t get to enjoy it, but it opened on the last day we were here and we took a 5 minute stroll before driving away. Simple pleasures are the best.

Stewart's in a moving van - how novel

It was quite a chore to get packed up even though we travel pretty light these days.  I started us off with about a 2 mile detour in getting the moving van – not bad most days, but we were on foot   Our last full day was a rush but we made the deadline and passed our apartment inspection. 

The 1st border crossing....many more to follow!

Our first day on the road was uneventful, although we did cross into West Virginia twice due to the way the interstate winds around. Our little moving van was pretty cozy and we enjoyed reminiscing about our east coast time and daydreaming about what lay ahead.  Lunchtime on day 2 found us just outside of Chicago and we had arranged to meet up with a friend from the National Fire Academy at a famous Chicago-style hotdog restaurant.  It was very convenient, just off I-65 and close to his home too.  Jim (from Hobart, Indiana) was a terrific host and we enjoyed the visit.  He clued us in to a “must see” attraction up the road – the Mars Cheese Castle.  Count me in!

Cheese is a big deal in Wisconsin

When in Rome..... (be a cheesehead)

Day 3 found us rolling along I-90 and loving the fall colors.  We decided to go a bit north for this trip across the US to see some new sites this time – this was our 5th time driving across the country (the 1st was only 33 years ago).  While enjoying Wisconsin and studying the map, we saw a town named Winona and thought that would be a perfect place to pick up a postcard for our friend….Winona!

Sometimes these kind of detours can hold the nicest surprises….and this one was perfect.  The town of Winona has been around for more than 150 years and is actually on an island within the Mississippi River.  Although the town has a population of more than 50,000 – we felt like we were whisked back in time to the perfect little burg.  Not Mayberry…but charming nonetheless.  We enjoyed our 1 hour stop so much that we have it on our “maybe we should spend a summer here” list.  Time will tell.

Motoring along I-90 we saw a billboard advertising the SPAM Museum.  Another one of life’s surprises….gotta stop! 

Day 3 was definitely a fun one and we bunked for the night in Brandon, South Dakota.  We could definitely tell we were getting in the north part of the US when we woke to frost on the windows and 24 degree temperatures.  After breakfast and coffee we were off for the next stop along I-90, the world-famous Corn Palace.

At first, we thought this place might be kind of quaint (and corny) but after pulling into town and seeing the a-”maize”-ing works of art – we were quite impressed.  All of the murals and decorations are corn. Ears of corns. Bushels and bushels. In fact, more than 275,000 ears of corn are used each year. I think I’m getting hungry again.

We spent about an hour here and toured the inside as well.  It was interesting to see the photographs from year’s past that documented the history of the palace.  This tradition has been continued since 1892.

Our trip west continued and we enjoyed the blue sky and wide-open spaces.  In fact, this is quite a refreshing view when we compare it to our DC, Beijing, Shanghai, Dubai, and other adventures.  I like it!

Gridlock is not in the official South Dakota dictionary

Wall Drug was never on my personal bucket list, although I have always been intrigued by the thousands of Wall Drug bumper stickers that I have seen over the years.  It was worth the stop, especially since we were in need of a good ol’ fashioned burger.

Downtown (and uptown) Wall, South Dakota

The nice thing about traveling I-90 in this part of the country is all of the attractions that pop up every 100 miles or so.  Our next stop was wonderful, and, unlike Wall Drug, this one was on our bucket lists.  Mount Rushmore was beautiful, not only the rock sculptures, but the entire area.  The National Parks Service has done a great job in providing hiking paths around the area and we enjoyed the minimal crowds, good weather, and fresh air.

After drinking in the beauty of this place, we drove a few more miles to take in the Crazy Horse Memorial as well.  This was a great stop and a real learning experience.  The carving began on this mountain in 1948 and dwarfs Mount Rushmore in comparison. 

Scale model in foreground.....actual sculpture more than 1 mile away in background

Our day was about done and we found another great deal on a Holiday Inn Express, this time in Deadwood, South Dakota.  From the looks of this town, it gets pretty busy during tourist season…who knew this was such a tourist destination.  We were glad we landed here in mid-October…otherwise our posing in the middle of the street might have been a bit riskier…..

Good timing...here comes the sidewalk-rolling up crew!

After a good night’s sleep, tasty (and free) breakfast, we were back on the road to intersect with I-90 and visit Sturgis.  Although I have seen many pictures of the street-clogging motorcycle event, it was still hard to imagine more than 1/2 million people here in a town that’s normally about 6500.

After a tank of fuel (no lines at the pump) we were off to the next attraction, the geographical center of the United States, which is Belle Fourche, South Dakota.  This quaint little town of 5,000 residents is actually a few miles from the official marker…but we were glad to have found the tourist site without trekking into the farmlands!

What a coincidence....center of the US and middle of nowhere at the same time!

For being such a sparse area of the country…..we had no problem finding tourist attractions….seems like every hour or so it was time for another photo op.

Devil's Tower - Wyoming

1267 feet to the top (we opted for the 1.3 mile hike around)

During the early part of our trip, it was not uncommon to cross state borders every hour or so…not so much out here in the west.  South Dakota was a 2-day adventure, followed by Montana.  This is what I call…. “land stretchin’ out so far and wide…”   (if you know the rest of this song…you might be gettin’ up there in age

Our initial travel plans included an overnight stop in our old hometown..Kalispell.  We had it all planned….lunch at Norm’s, dinner at McKenzie River Pizza, and donuts at Rosauer’s.  Still facing a full 12 hour drive to Salem…and needing to start a new job in about 3 days….we decided to press on and make camp in Hermiston.  We did luck out though when we stopped for fuel in Missoula.  What a great surprise to see a McKenzie River Pizza restaurant! One “good ole boy pepperoni coming up…”

The McKenzie River bear

The drive from Missoula to Hermiston was mostly a blur….maybe because we’ve taken that trip a dozen times or so…..maybe because we’ve been on the road nearly a week.  Wow…Washington DC is “way back” in our review mirror.  We stayed the night in Hermiston and enjoyed a great dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant with some of our best friends, Gerald and Joanie.  It was fun to catch up on life and walk the streets of my old, old, old hometown (how many can a guy have anyway?).

Almost home...taking a break at the Grove of the States rest stop

And just like that, we were home again.  A bit older….a bit wiser….our luggage scarred and road-worn, our passports stamped and re-stamped, our memories deeper, our appreciation greater, our love deeper. Life is a precious bus ride….and what a blessing to have someone waiting at the bus stop when you step off.

Thanksgiving 2010 - Four Generations

….to get here! 

When we first arrived in DC, we set off to explore all of the sites…especially the Smithsonians (there are actually 13 Smithsonians…and the Zoo).  Although it took us nearly two years to get out to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, it was well worth it! This site is famous for housing the Space Shuttle Enterprise, the Enola Gay, and the SR-71 spy plane. Unlike the majority of museums in DC, this one is a bit out-of-town so we had to get creative to get there. 

Picnic at Dulles Airport

This isn’t the first time we’ve traveled to the airport and not flown anywhere…last year we traveled to the Shanghai airport to experience the bullet train (and dine on KFC).  Today’s adventure wasn’t quite as “speedy”, but started with a 45 minute bus ride from Arlington and was complete with a great picnic lunch that we enjoyed - relaxing while the rest of the world scurried in and out and through the airport.  After lunch we caught a quick shuttle bus to the museum and spent a few hours inside. 

The Enterprise

Awesome collection

Dude...where's my car...I mean airplane?

This airplane (above) was designed so that you could fly to your destination, disconnect the prop and winged-part, and drive away. I don’t think it caught on…at least on the roads we’ve traveled. 

The Enola Gay

This airplane snuck in behind us...

If you’d like to “virtually” visit the museum, click here for a link to their interactive webcams. It is a remarkable place with hundreds of aircraft on display that range from experimental to wartime. 

Finishing the day with "Ascent"...the 70' high polished steel sculpture

….Harleys!    

So anyway…about 3 weeks ago I’m a bit bored and surfing the web looking for info on the IAFF Motorcycle Group and saw some information on the 2nd Annual NW Firefighter Bike Rally in Republic, Washington. I was daydreaming about the ride and thinking about the comp time from work that I needed to use when Patti said “we do have that free airline ticket”.  To top it off, a friend from the RFD days popped up on facebook and I asked him if he knew anything about the ride.  He said “I’m going, we’ve got a room booked, wanna join us?”.  Next thing I know I’m strapped in on Delta Flight #1639 – destination Republic, Washington (via Atlanta, Portland, Vancouver, Salem, Detroit Lake, Biggs Junction, Kennewick, Moses Lake, Soap Lake, and Kettle Falls).     

Before packing the scooter Wednesday, I got to spend a night each with John in Vancouver and with Michael, Traci, and the girls in Salem.  It was nice to catch up with the kids and we enjoyed some good meals together.  I also met some new friends from Dallas, Oregon who were traveling up to Republic.  We arranged to meet at the Home Depot in Salem and had a great ride to Kennewick, via Detroit Lake and Sisters, Oregon.      

Mile Zero (Salem, Oregon) - Fresh as a daisy

Detroit (Oregon....not Michigan)

 It didn’t take too long to get warmed up in the eastern Oregon and eastern Washington sunshine.  Riding with full leathers isn’t too bad at highway speeds, but as soon as the kickstand was down the coat was gone!     

Dry Falls - NE Washington (not so "fresh as a daisy" anymore)

   I rode with 5 other bikes from Kennewick to Republic and enjoyed the ride (especially once we hit Kettle Falls….shade, evergreens, and about 10 degrees cooler).  I am surprised I didn’t get nicknamed “wayback”  (at least out loud) due to my tendency to roll back on the throttle a bit and get some elbow room.  After spending the last two years surrounded by millions of people on subways, in airports, and in traffic, it’s nice to enjoy a little  solitude on the open road (although I miss Patti on the back seat of the glide).  We pulled into Republic around dinner time – it was nice to meet some new friends and connect with some old acquaintances from the firefighting days.  Republic is a quaint little town of around 1000 people, although I think the bikes outnumbered the cars by about 30 to 1.    

Downtown Republic, Washington (and uptown too)

 I had originally planned on staying two nights in Republic and taking part in the poker run through the northeast woods of Washington, but the more I looked at my WA state map, the more I felt Hwy 20 calling my name. After a late breakfast I made my mind up and bid farewell to my friends, the town of Republic, and the 90 degree weather.     

Mazama, Washington

 The ride west was amazing.  Not only did the temperature drop about 15 degrees, the views were great and the traffic was light.     

HWY 20 - North Cascades

Diablo Dam - Ross Lake

 After riding 400+ miles on Thursday, 300+ miles on Friday, and 6 hours in the saddle on Saturday, I was definitely ready to find a spot for the night as I pulled in to Sedro Wooley. The hotel was great, the Teriyaki chicken dinner was perfect, and the 9 hour nap did me well.     

Sedro Wooley, Washington

 On Sunday, I continued along Hwy 20 across Whidbey Island and Deception Pass.  The foggy weather dropped the temperature into the low 60′s and I was glad I had packed my scarf and vest.  Timing was great and I caught the noon ferry from Kingston to Port Townsend – enjoying a chat with some other riders.       

Whidbey Island to Port Townsend ferry

 I have seen some pretty neat GPS (global positioning system) units over the years and had been thinking I might need one for the scooter.  This trip confirmed that I’m gonna stick with the ol’ fashioned way of navigation.  A tattered map and a chat with the locals.  Seems to work best for me.     

Old school GPS

 As I wound my way south and east and west, I stopped in to the little town of Elma, Washington.  It was nice to rest and enjoyed a double shot of espresso. The barista was friendly and even volunteered to mail my postcards for me. My kinda town.     

"Coffee Coop Espresso" - Elma, Washington

   I left Elma in the early afternoon and took Hwy 12 over to I-5.  I had enjoyed the back roads but knew I would need to make up some time to arrive in Vancouver before dark.  Timing was great and I pulled in to VFD Station #2 a little bit after dinner.  When John returned from a fire call he fixed me a plate of shish kabob – great stuff.  Eating in the firehouse brought back a lot of memories – C shift food is the best! (I was an A shifter…but had my share of C shift leftovers!!).     

Westside Firehouse, Engine 2 - Vancouver, Washington

  The trip breezed by pretty quick, but I did manage to have another day with each of the boys before heading back to DC.  On Thursday, Michael dropped me off at the Amtrak station in Salem at about 630 am and I made a smooth connection to the Portland airport via the Tri-Met Max train (Union Station – Pioneer Square – PDX).  The flight back through Atlanta was uneventful (and packed).  

By the numbers:    

Miles – 1508, Fuel stops – 15, MPG – 47.7

Gatorade – 5 quarts (on the east side). Espresso – 11 shots (on the west side)  

Roads – 17 : (Hwy 22, US 97, I-84, I-82, Hwy 397, Hwy 395, Hwy 17, US 2, Hwy 21, Hwy 20, US 101, Hwy 108, US 12, I-5, I-205, and Hwy 213.    

Counties – 30: Oregon (Marion, Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Linn, Jefferson, Deschutes, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla);  Washington (Benton, Franklin, Grant, Lincoln, Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan, Chelan, Whatcom, Skagit, Island, Jefferson, Mason, Grays Harbor, Thurston, Lewis, Cowlitz, Clark).  

OK, so the bike is topped off, waxed, and back on the stand.  Time to get the maps out again……………

……to the list!   

DC to AA in only 19 hours

 I have been looking forward to this trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for quite a while – Africa is so diverse (plus the airmiles earned are a pretty good bonus!).  It has been over a year since my first trip to the southern part of the African continent and I was excited to see the eastern part.     

My flight out of DC was on Lufthansa Airlines and it was very nice – comfy seat, good food, and a short nap or two along the way.  It always amazes me that an airplane of this size actually flies.    

Boeing 747

Coffee Break in Frankfurt

During my last flight through Frankfurt I had a short connection time and the planes were late (both outbound and returning) so this time I purposely booked a later flight with ample time to transit the airport.   That turned out to be a great plan and I was well rested for the second leg of the trip from Frankfurt to Addis Ababa.    

Sunrise in Ethiopia

 Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia and is home to more than 3 1/2 million people.  The streets are very busy with cars, buses, walkers, hawkers, and one gawker (me).  There has been a lot of growth and construction in Addis over the last few years.  It’s actually a pretty cool place – elevation 8000′ plus, mild weather, and friendly people.  The air quality is a bit rough due to the vehicle exhaust. Getting stuck behind a herd of blue donkeys can be brutal.    

The "Blue Donkeys"

 After a long (and jet laggy) first week at work I was ready for the weekend.  Saturday’s plan included a drive up to the hillside overlooking the city, with a chance to see some wild hyenas in their den.  The drive was refreshing, it was nice to escape the busyness of the city and enjoy some fresh air.  The drive became pretty rugged and I was glad our driver had a 4WD.    

Back roads of Addis Ababa

New friends

 As we parked we were greeted by some children from the local area.  They were very excited to have company and ran along with us as we hiked to the hyena overlook.  The children loved to have their pictures taken and laughed every time they saw themselves on the camera screen.    

The hyenas were apparently resting inside their dens today – so no great pictures of the wild animals of Africa.  It kind of reminded me of going to the zoo – the animals only come out after closing time!  Even without the hyena show, it was a great drive through the Eucalyptus forest and we even had to dodge the local herd a time or two. The forest smelled great, just like opening a new bag of throat lozenges! Very refreshing.    

Driving down the mountain road we saw nearly a hundred women who were taking their daily load of firewood into the city.  In talking with our driver, he said that the bundles of sticks weigh about 100 kilos (220 pounds) each and they sell it for about 30 or 40 birr (the local currency) – that equates to about $2.50 for a tough day’s work.  I got the feeling that for many people, life is lived on a daily basis.    

Many miles to go

 After the mountain drive it was time for lunch (at the Lucy Fast Food) and then into the Ethiopian National Museum to learn about Lucy, the fossilized remains that are touted as the oldest human ancestor.  It was a small museum and I enjoyed seeing the collections of old tools much better than the old bones (which are replicas of Lucy, she’s actually on a road trip).    

One thing I discovered in Addis Ababa, is there is no such thing as “fast food”. Going out to dinner was usually about a 2 hour event, although we did finish our lunches at the museum within an hour….so I guess that does at least qualify as “faster” food.    

Coffee time

 Coffee is a very big deal here – the story goes that it was actually discovered here when a young goat herder saw his goats “dancing wildly” after snacking on the coffee berries.  He took the branches to the local monks who promptly threw them in the fire to get rid of them.  The aroma that ensued from the “roasting” process piqued everyone’s interest….and the rest is history.   

On Sunday, we changed directions and headed downhill into the lower (and warmer) areas – destination…the Portuguese Bridge.  The drive was reminiscent of eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, eastern Montana, etc.  Oh yeah….it’s a dry heat!!    

Apparently I was the first customer of the day

Coffee time (again!!)

Portuguese Bridge

 The view from the Portuguese bridge was nice and reminded me of the many hours at Creationfest in the Gorge amphitheater in George, Washington.  It wasn’t as hot as those mid-summer bakes in eastern Washington, but the sun was plenty hot and I took home a few reminders on the back of my legs and neck (yes…I had sunblock….in my backpack).  Next time I suppose I should actually use it!).    

After the hike and cooling off at the gorge top restaurant, we drove a few kilometers to the Debre Marqos church.  This area has a lot of history and I enjoyed a reasonably priced guided tour. My guide was very friendly and I enjoyed hearing about the history of the church.     

The deacon wasn't much for smiling in the photo, but he was very friendly

 I also took a quick sprint up to the mountain top cave where the priests go to pray.  My guide carried a whip in one hand and a rifle over his shoulder – not sure what our potential adversary would be (man or beast) but I did my best to keep up with him on the hike up the hill.  I think he personally enjoyed the fact that he was breathing normally while I was gasping for air – the guy was a hiker!    

For an old guy he could sure hike

Blessings at the mountain top cave

 It was a busy weekend, but at least sleep was coming a bit more normal.  Before I knew it Monday morning had arrived and it was back to work. I did enjoy some great company and new food with coworkers.  We dined on Indian cuisine (a couple times), Korean, Pizza, and even some traditional Ethiopian injera.    

It took me a while to decide on what to do for the second weekend. I had read (and heard from many coworkers) about the rock-hewn churches in Lalibela, a village approximately 200 miles from Addis.  Traveling by car isn’t an option, the roads are pretty rough and it would take about 10 hours.  Ethiopian Airlines has a milk route they fly twice every day which takes (on paper) about 2 hours, which includes a couple quick stops at Gondor and Bahir Dar.  After discussing the trip with some people at work (who recently traveled to the churches) I decided that it was a must see and booked the trip, traveling with my coworker from DC.   

It was soon apparent that this was a different side of Ethiopia. Very drier, very much rural, and definitely old school.    

We jumped right into the tours and started with a short PowerPoint presentation about the history of the churches, their names, and their significance.  Although I had read a lot about the stone churches before I got here….all I can say is “incredible”.  Two main thoughts came to mind as I toured the churches.  The first was the incredible amount of work that completed, not by slaves, but by the local people. Secondly, and probably more intriguing was the concept to “carve” the buildings out of stone rather that stack the stones in typical building construction fashion.    

One of the eleven "rock-hewn" churches

The inside of the churches were even more amazing

At one point in the tour, when we were traveling through a short (in height…not length) tunnel, it got to be pretty dark.  Our tour guide only had the light from his cell phone so it was “duck your head and walk slow” time.  I felt like I was on the set of Indiana Jones : )    

King George's Church

The Mountain View Hotel was a pretty good deal at $48 USD per night and I enjoyed the very peaceful view.  The bed was a bit Spartan but served the purpose and I enjoyed waking up to the sounds of roosters crowing in the morning from the surrounding homes.  It brought back a lot of memories from eastern Oregon and was quite different from the wake up sounds we typically hear in DC.   

Mountain View Hotel

The flags represent the guest's countries - Hooray for the Red, White, and Blue!

The 3-legged flight from Lalibela to Gondor to Bahir Dar was rearranged a bit due to weather and we were diverted to one of the airports to sit out the passing thunderstorms.  I arrived back in Addis about 4 pm and it took no time to be back in the hustle/bustle of the city.    

Back in civilization (kinda)

 At times it seemed like I had been in Ethiopia for a long time – the jet lag, long days at work, and long dinner hours – but just like that the trip came to a close and it was packing time again. I considered this trip to Addis a true blessing and learned a lot about the country, the culture, and the wonderful people.  It was also a good reminder that happiness is not wrapped around the things we have but the people we are with (and coffee of course).   

Here comes the rainy season - good timing to hit the road to DC

Last year I was on the road during Rolling Thunder and after I read about it I thought it would be a great adventure to ride our scoot in the 2010 event.  I schemed over and over about how to get the bagger out here (from Oregon) but decided to just be a spectator this year instead.  I’m thinking that may have been a good idea because it was a lot easier getting around town on foot (and metro, and bus) than it would have been on the bike. Riding the electraglide in this kind of heat is not high on the bucket list either. 

We had planned on watching the ride from the Memorial Bridge but found out that no spectators were allowed on the bridge this year so we found a nice spot a few hundreds yards from the big crowd and enjoyed the shade of a grand ol’ oak tree.  The spot we picked was right below the departure path from Reagan Airport, so having the sound of planes overhead was expected.  What I didn’t expect was the sight of a B-52 zooming overhead after take-off.  I managed to snap a quick picture in my excitement.  Back in the old days I logged about 2000 hours riding backwards in that bomber – must be why I get my lefts and rights backwards all the time. 

B-52

 We had a pretty good spot and were part of the first set of “wavers” that the bikers saw.  They were all very enthusiastic and we enjoyed seeing all of the different types of bikes. 

The first of many (half a million or so)

A purpose....not a parade

 After watching for about an hour we jumped on the Metro and headed over to Foggy Bottom for lunch (yes….spicy half-smoke dogs with sauerkraut) and then walked over to Constitution Ave to see more (and more and more and more) bikes headed to the parking area.

Constitution Avenue

 After checking out the vendor area and seeing almost as many spectators as bikers (we’re approaching a million now I think) we grabbed a metrorail ride home to beat the heat.  On the way we stopped for a reflective picture.

Reflections on the storefront windows

  We felt pretty sneaky as a couple of bikers dressed up in our incognito tourist outfits!

While many DCers packed up and headed out-of-town for the Memorial Day weekend, we took advantage of the great weather and smaller crowds and headed to the US Capitol to watch the National Memorial Day Concert rehearsal. Last year, on the 3rd of July, we did the similar thing and enjoyed the great performances “a day early”. 

We planned on arriving about 2 hours early to have dinner, get through security, and find a good spot.  Dinner was fun, we ate at the Capitol City Brewery, a quaint brewpub located in the historic Postal Square Building, which was constructed in 1911.  We spotted this restaurant during our first visit to the Postal Museum and have been planning a dinner here for a long time. We split a new sandwich (new to us…) called a Cuban Sandwich, which is basically a variation of ham and cheese. It was a nice combo of roast pork, glazed ham, Swiss cheese, and thinly-sliced dill pickles (and french fries of course). 

View from the West Lawn

 When we attended the 4th of July concert we picked our perch on the steps of the capitol, but this time there were ample spots on the lawn (in the shade) so we headed there instead. It was nice to have a cool place to sit while we waited for the concert and enjoyed some crossword puzzles and snacked on red licorice. Life’s simple pleasures. 

The concert was more than just a concert….it was a very emotional tribute and memorial to those who have lost their lives in service to our country.  It was a good reminder to look past the entertainment and see the real purpose in honoring the tremendous sacrifices. 

I think all the tourists go home at 10 pm...

 After the concert was over, we decided to walk the National Mall and check out the WW II Memorial.  We had heard that it was even more spectacular at night.  Although it doesn’t look like it…the walk from the Capitol to the Washington Monument is just over a mile.  We enjoyed the moonlit hike and felt like we had the mall to ourselves.  There were only a handful of people visible on the mall, but we could hear hundreds or Harleys rolling up and down Constitution Avenue. Rolling Thunder will take place this weekend (300,000+ bikes).  

We sat for a few minutes at the WW II Memorial and soaked in the night glow.  We have been here many times before but it seemed a lot more “reverent” with the darkness. 

World War II Memorial

 Our hike took us further west and we spent some time at the Vietnam Wall, which always has a quiet and respectful tone – much different from the other memorials on the mall.  This was our first time to visit the wall at night – it was very powerful. 

The Wall

The list of Vietnam casualties

 While at the Wall we researched a distant relative that was killed during the Vietnam war.  Although we had visited the wall before, it was a different feeling to find a name on the Wall that we had a connection to – a cousin of Patti’s mom who died in combat in 1968 during his second (voluntary) tour in Vietnam.

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood

It’s been a year in the planning….ok, maybe not planning, but at least a year on the back burner.  We finally made a trip over to the “new” National Harbor – a very nice retail/hotel site just across the Potomac from Alexandria. Our time in DC has taken us to almost every free thing in town, now we’re venturing out for the touristy things that come with a price.  This “ride” was pretty cheap at $8 each and half the fun was just getting there.   

We started the trip by hiking a mile or so in the opposite direction to the central Arlington County library and then stopped in for a great lunch at a pub/diner called The Carpool.  We had walked by this eatery many times and it looked pretty popular with the locals.  After a great spicy wing wrap we hopped the Metro over to Alexandria and then hiked King Street from the Metro stop to the Potomac.  It has been quite a while since we were here and the nice (downhill) stroll brought back lots of memories of our first Christmas here and our lighted boat parade adventure.  

Rockin' the boat

 There are many boat packages you can buy – all day excursions, trips to the Nationals Ballpark, journey to Mt Vernon – but we opted for the shorter (and cheaper) get’r done trip over to National Harbor.  

At the Gaylord National Resort with the Woodrow Wilson Bridge

 Although we were still in DC, it sure seemed like we were in another place (like San Diego, Orlando, Chicago).  The harbor consists of 300 acres of new mixed-use development that will eventually have 4,000 hotel rooms, 2,500 residential units, 1/2 million square feet of office space, and a million square feet of retail. Wow.  

Our boat docked at the Gaylord National Resort (very posh) and we discovered that they were having a free concert (Beach Boys Tribute Band) in a couple of hours.  Nice – we like the impromptu adventures.  Our plan was to tour the “town”, grab some dinner, end up back at the Gaylord at 630 for the show, and then ride back to Alexandria on the boat.   

"The Awakening"

 It was a fun surprise to find this famous…ok maybe not famous….this fun sculpture emerging from the earth.  The Awakening has been in DC for 30 years, but only recently moved to National Harbor.  It was the top attraction to both the young and the old and we sat and laughed at all of the various poses that people struck for the cameras. We opted for the trademarked JP hug and then headed for the next stop on the trip – The Peeps Store!  It was a fun shop and we enjoyed some free samples of chocolate and hot tamales fire.  Although they offer 850 different Peeps products, we opted for a couple of Chocolate Covered Peeps and headed for the next stop…. the DC Harley Shop.  OK….it’s not really a Harley shop. Even though they do have 1 bike in the storefront window….it’s more of a Harley T-shirt shop.  It was fun to browse the clothes racks and look at the DC designs (Abe Lincoln and a FatBoy)….but we saved our cash and headed for the next stop – dinner.  They are many nice places to eat but we decided to pass on the $18 entrees and opted for one of our favorites….DC dogs from the street vendor.   

Our timing was just about right and we headed back to check out the concert, but when we got back to the Gaylord we found they had moved inside because of the possibility of rain.  Bummer.  We decided to pass on the inside concert and stepped outside….pouring rain.  Good prediction by the weather guy and good plan by the roadies.  

Rather than riding back across the Potomac we got adventuress (again) and found a bus stop - next stop Branch Avenue Metro….the end of the Green Line.  There were only a few passengers on this train until we stopped at the Navy Yard platform and “discovered” that the Nationals baseball game had just ended.  Wow – we went from being two little fish in a big pond to sardines in a matter of 30 seconds.  The new crowd on the train was definitely in a festive (and beered up) mood.  

By the time we got home it turned out to be about an 8 hour adventure and we only had one regret…..should’ve bought more chocolate covered Peeps!

I’ll have to be honest, a month ago I doubt if I could have pointed at the globe and told you where Malta was located.  I do recall reading about the Apostle Paul being shipwrecked on Malta….and something about a snake bite, but other than that my only connection to Malta was the long-standing tradition of the fire service using the Maltese cross as the back drop to the IAFF (International Association of Firefighters) logo.  Seems like Orange County Choppers (et al) may also use this symbol.     

Balluta Bay view from the hotel

 I was originally scheduled to fly out to Malta a week earlier (just after our Oregon vacation) but the Icelandic volcano action grounded that idea.  After the dust settled (or blew east) I was on my way and, as always, the red-eye flight from the east coast through Europe was one without much sleep.  I arrived on schedule (just past noon on Monday) and found my way quickly to a nap. Tuesday came quicker than I would have liked (in 2 hour sleep segments) but at least it gave structure to the day and I was glad to get to work.     

Dinner at Peppino's in Spinola Bay

 Work was interesting - dry and dusty on the construction site, and I was glad I had packed plenty of short sleeve shirts     

Quittin' Time

Home away from home

 The work week went quickly and it was nice to meet up with some coworkers at the hotel for nightly dinners.  On Thursday night we all decided to take one of the famous Malta buses to Valletta to watch the fireworks competition.  The buses are like the proverbial Forrest Gump “Box of Chocolates”…you never know what you’re going to get.  The only thing for sure with these buses is that they are all painted yellow.     

St. John's Cathedral - Built in 1578

Fireworks competition

Triton Fountain - Valletta Bus Terminal

 I was definitely ready for a break from work by the time Saturday came along and wasted no time finding an open top, double-decker bus to see the island.  Malta is not very large, only about 17 miles long and 9 miles wide. Still, they do find space to accommodate a resident population of nearly 500,000 people (not counting the tourists).    

A smart man keeps his seat (low bridges)

The sentry box has an eye and an ear - "I see everything...I hear everything"

On Sunday, I put Phase II of the weekend tour into action, catching the 0900 shuttle from the hotel to the north area of the island to board the Gozo ferry that goes-oh to Gozo.  After a quick 30 minute boat ride I was on another open top bus – plenty of sun and plenty of sunblock.   

Gozo Ferry - good deal at 5 euro for the roundtrip

The tour buses allow you to “hop on hop off” at any stop you would like.  My first hop of the day was at the Ggantija Temple, listed as the oldest free-standing structure in the world – constructed in 3600 B.C.  I was the only passenger to de-board at this stop and I looked around for a sign or arrows to the temple.  I did see a “you are here map” and walked over to get my bearings.  Not seeing anything specific, I decided to walk a few blocks into the center of the village and was glad I did.  I arrived at the town square at 12 noon and the church bells had just started ringing.  They rang and rang and rang, two different bells – it was pretty cool.     

Village square in Xaghra on the Island of Gozo

What'd ya say??

Temples of Ġgantija - circa 3600 B.C.

The old temple and the new(er) temple

The Citadella (fortified city) on Gozo

 My last “hop off” for the day was at Dwejra, to see the Azure Window.  What an awesome view and relaxing stop.  The coastline is very rugged and the limestone takes on some interesting shapes.     

The Azure Window

    

As we were headed out-of-town on the bus, I got quite a kick at the local boys who looked like they had never seen one of these buses before (which roar through the village every hour, 7 days a week).  I’m not sure what was going on up on the top side of the bus - but their expressions were a hoot!     

Tapie's Crew

 On my last day at work I was able to take a quick hike over to the Mdina glass factory during my lunch break.  This is a popular tourist bus stop and the gift shop was full of brightly colored vases, bowls, jewelry….and tourists.  The production area was interesting (and quite warm).    

    

Last night in Malta - dinner on the deck at Spinola Bay

 On my final morning I had just enough time to run over to the local market to pick up the local sweet treat – Malta Nougat, before my 30 minute ride to the airport.  I hadn’t had a chance to try the nougat, but everyone said it was great so I picked up a couple packs of chocolate flavored nougat and stashed them in my carry on bags.  When I got back home Patti and I gave it a taste – all I can say is I should have bought a case!     

Amazing stone - rotates on a thin layer of water

Waiting for my flight in the airport lounge, gotta love the Star Alliance gold card

Time to go home

When planning a trip back home, a week always sounds like a good amount of time to see everyone, visit the sites, and relax.  Although we did have a great time, we definitely didn’t get to see everyone and visit all the places on our list.  We did, however, get to spend some great time with family and welcomed our newest little granddaughter.  

Hey...no tickling grandma!!!

 We had a great surprise at PDX baggage claim when Michael, Traci, Brooklynn, and Londynn snuck up on us when we weren’t looking.  It was a nice touch and we all went over to John’s and stayed up way too late (for a couple of east coast time zoner’s).  

I missed you Uncle John!

 The weather was great in Vancouver on our first day and we enjoyed starting the day with a great breakfast (thanks Rachel!) and then spent some time at the dog park with Bella.   

Bella loves the dog park!

 Day #2 and #3 we spent in Salem, getting to know Londynn and reconnecting with Brooklynn.  One of the highlights was the cupcake decorating adventure, Brooklynn learned early on that the more frosting you “accidentally” get on your fingers….the tastier this job can be!  

Someone's in the kitchen with...Cupcakes!!

 Even before we were grandparents, we had our eye on the A.C. Gilbert Children’s Museum and were ecstatic to be able to take Brooklynn there to explore.  It’s hard to say which exhibit was her favorite – she liked them all.  

No Fear

 After our fun at the village it seemed only natural to stop off for some fries and ice cream.  It sure reminded us of being young parents and taking our boys for ice creams cones after hiking the nature trails near McNary Dam.  Time sure flies.  

Rewards (for both us and Brooklynn)

 On Wednesday, we switched gears and went north, arriving in Portland just in time to catch a soccer game at Delta Park.  It was fun to see John play and we lucked out – the thunderstorm hit about 5 minutes after the game ended.  

Man On!

 Our next morning had a great start as well – we checked out a great hometown restaurant with John and Rachel.  No shortage of food on these plates and the service was great.  Excuse me….Flo?  

Awesome Breakfast

 We had thought about going to the coast….then saw rain in the forecast….then saw sun…..then rain…then sun (welcome to Oregon).   After seeing the weather was going to be nice we decided to spend a day/night at the beach and enjoyed a nice drive from Vancouver to Cannon Beach (via Veronia and Pittsburg).  It’s amazing how creative your trip can be when there’s no roadmap in the rental car!  

Cannon Beach rocks! (literally)

 After lunch at Mo’s we took a nice drive south to our favorite little quaint motel in Depoe Bay.  Highway 101 can be busy in the summer, but we enjoyed a peaceful 101 miles (or so) of driving along coast.  We checked into the Troller’s Lodge and soon discovered we were the only guests in the 12 unit complex (not too complex of a complex!). We have stayed here quite a few times and enjoy the cottage-like atmosphere.  This place always brings back memories – I stayed here when I was kid in the 70′s with my parents.   

Troller's Lodge

 After the morning on the beach, we made it back to Salem and enjoyed spending the last day with Michael and Traci and the girls.  A quick trip to Pietro’s Pizza polished off the trip and we spent our last night at John’s B&B before turning in the rental car and checking in for our flights at PDX.  

Sunset in Patti's Hometown (Chicago)

 Sunset in Depoe Bay one night….Chicago the next….and then DC.   

 A great trip (but we miss everyone already).

The last time I went to Dallas I only had about 30 hours on the ground – not much time for sightseeing (although I did enjoy visiting the wild mustangs of Las Colinas).  This trip had a few extra hours and I was able to see a couple of things on my tourist wish list.  

After checking in at the hotel, the first stop was the National Boy Scout Museum. Scouting was a big part of my life as a kid and it was fun to reminisce about all of the fun times in Troop 654.  I took my coworkers with me and we had fun competing in the shooting arcade (I lost….dang bifocals) and the “virtual reality gamebike adventure”, which was a big screen BMX video game with a twist.  Rather than sitting in the chair and racing your opponents – you actually have to sit on a stationary bike and pedal like crazy to keep up.  Although we had set the course for 3 laps…we all agreed to call it a 3-way tie after just one lap.  

I used to have socks like that! (and now I have legs like that...)

 After catching our breath and debating on the right restaurant, we decided on a steak house (well…it is Texas you know).  

Texas Trio

 The prime rib was pretty good and the atmosphere was definitely ”lone star”, but I enjoyed our next dinner out much more.  I have never been to a Korean restaurant – not sure why.  Maybe access…maybe language…but I have to tell you that the experience was great.  It was fun to have dinner out with my coworkers who knew “what” and “how” to order.  The food was all fresh and we had a great time sharing the family style meal that was cooked in the little bbq grill built into the table.  We had a variation of Galbi, which is grilled beef, marinated and cooked with garlic, mushrooms, and jalapeno.  The dinner was served with about 10 different side dishes ranging from kimchi to poached scrambled eggs.  

After dinner we took a whirlwind driving tour of downtown Dallas.  Although not planned, we managed to “find” Dealey Plaza and spent a few minutes exploring the site of the JFK assassination. It was a bit surreal to be there – that part of history has been etched in my mind since the news was relayed in our 2nd grade classroom nearly 47 years ago.  

Dallas County Administration Building

 At first glance, the Dallas County Administration building appears to be just another brick building of old, surrounded by the modern high rises of current time.  The small plaque on the building tells a different story though - how the 6th floor window of the building, once known as the Texas School Book Depository, changed life as we knew it.  

The short stretch of road along the grassy knoll

 Dallas has an interesting mix of old and new buildings which adds a lot to the skyline, especially at dusk.  

Sunset at Dealey Plaza

Tallest building in Dallas - 72 story Bank of America Plaza

 After a quick downtown tour it was time to find our way back to the hotel.  Despite the GPS telling us to go straight….and the driver telling us we should go back…we managed to make it home pretty quick. Good thing we had a boy scout in the back seat with some navigation skills!

We can't be lost....we have a GPS!