a month of trips

Haven't taken much time to blog lately, have been on the road alot this month.  There's nothing I like more than vacation... okay watching someone accept Jesus or recommit is above that..

During the week of my 50th birthday Greg and I went Tuesday set out on a road trip for some days away. We stopped up north at the away location for Brook's volleyball game in Tollhouse, CA.  Must say that they have had a successful VB season, but it was a hot night in a hot stuffy gym and they are used to playing in A/C which none was to be found on this 100 degree day. But that is just a guess for the quick disposal that Sierra High School made of the Chowchilla girls in 3 games of a possible 5 on this night. They have won most games since then...

We headed towards Yosemite staying a night in Oakhurst after the VB game a little north and east of Tollhouse which is a town of no stoplights. We spent a full day in Yosemite taking a new road that we hadn't been on before and got to see an excellent view from the top of the Yosemite Valley.

We then headed North out of Yosemite and stayed in Oakdale Wednesday night. As I googled our hope for the next day of seeing Alcatraz, we were sadly told that we needed reservations and that the soonest they could get us a ticket was "next Tuesday" as if we'd still be in the area... okay so that is still on the "want to see list and maybe next time". So now instead of heading toward San Francisco, we decided to head towards Monterey to have lunch at the wharf, and then take the coastline towards Hearst Castle.  We love to drive along the ocean especially up in the north where there are boulders and rocks all along the coastline that with the waves crashing over them is a very relaxing sight and sound.. we made lots of stops and sat listening to them.  Suddenly can't find these pictures for this weekend.. will take more searching for the "folder" they were copied into off of the computer disc..


Hearst Castle Greg had never been to and I had been there once when our family had been younger. It was certainly like a European inspired castle, and it certainly was over the top in the decorating style both inside and out.  After we left Hearst Castle we made the drive all the way home..

two weeks later I flew to Sioux Falls on Saturday night and met up with Ashley on Sunday to visit with family and attend a wknd Women of Faith Conference with family and friends in St. Paul MN.  It was a great week of just seeing Ashley, talking, laughing, visiting, and sharing.. To love a daughter and have these rare and special moments to connect when we live in different states are so very special and I miss her. I have attended perhaps 8-9 of  the Women of Faith Conference shared with 11,000 women.  This one was the closest to family at the Xcel Center for worship in singing, the special groups CeCe Winans, Selah, and the speakers Ken Davis, Sheila Walsh, Liz Curtis Higgs, Angie Smith, Pat Smith.  It was a two day event where Ashley and I had mothers & Grandmothers Sharon & Marlys, Nieces & Cousins Katie, Rhonda, Rachel & Lanae, Aunts & sister in laws Patty, Kim, and friends of these MN relatives Kathy, Mary, Diane, Rhonda, Brittany...  Katie put it all together and it was a terrific event to attend.  I look forward to the next one whether in CA or MN.

this photo on the Sunday we arrived at the Symens house, family get together..

Im attaching a video of Patsy Clairmont who is a speaker who wasn't at this conference, but I have so enjoyed her spitfire energy that she speaks with and the clarity she speaks in in.  I hope you enjoy it as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=l3QkQeIWk9c&NR=1


Ashley and I both got onto Sunday afternoon flights and she headed her way and I headed mine.. Kept in contact all day til I knew that she was home safely from the airport... Next time I schedule a "cheap flight" I need to pay attention to the return time which had me back in LA at midnight, which even the delay of 45 minutes is irrelevant when it's that late and your to be back in the office at 6am that morning.. But I made it and age made no difference that I gladly state I got a nap that afternoon after I got home. :)

until the next time... Lorinda

Sunday Chillin' & thinkin' ahead

Whew a nice relaxing weekend it has been..

well, wait a minute, yesterday was a home housecleaning kind of day that started early and accomplished much with a bonus.. Shane showed up with Manny just before lunch while I was gone bringing Greg to the dealership to pickup his car, and they both cleaned my kitchen/laundry tile. Now it to me looked clean, and the grout being a darker color already, seemed clean also... but wow, when they left it looked awesome.. We did buy the boys Subway lunch for when they were finished working.   thanks for the early birthday gift Shane..

Manny was the only one I snuck a picture of as Shane can't have this on facebook or the cat would be out of the bag of the perk I got..

 

 

The rest of the afternoon was finishing laundry of towels and doing some neatning up around the house, and then watching lots of college football.  It's been heating up, and today we have the AC on.  Greg had alot of work to catch up on and to get ahead on as this week we are doing a road trip north "somewhere" after we stop in Chowchilla on Tuesday.

 

I usually take this week off with my birthday in it and so that is the same this year. I started with planning a trip north to see the volleyball games of Chowchilla Brook has a Tuesday night game in we will head out towards Tollhouse against Sierra. The town is about an 1.5 hour east and south of Bryan and Stacy's so we will meet them at the game as they will have to come after work and will probably be a little later than us.  We might hit the "outlet" mall in Tulare if I can get Greg on the road before noon as he wants to do.. But I'll be driving as he talks on the phone and works on his lap with quotes and drawings.. ha, I'll have my headphone plugged in as well as he is constantly on the phone.. I don't like the driver seat while he's on the phone.. So this will be the route we will take.

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&gl=us&daddr=33326+Lodge+Road,+Tollhouse,+CA+93667&panel=1&f=d&fb=1&dirflg=d&geocode=0,37.036108,-119.452351&cid=0,0,6213808414914529593&hq=sierra+high+school+tollhouse+ca+website&ei=ccFoUI7CIu30iwLKxICgDw&ved=0CIQBEJ4CMAA

 

Brook is a junior in HS, and plays a middle blocker and this is her first year on the varsity team, and the middle blocker is out on a motorcycle injury and so Brook has starting position. Might make it up there for two games this year.  It will be good to see the family for even a brief evening.. Sydney is an 8th grader and Brayden is a little over 2yrs old.. That is if Grandma and Grandpa Dykstra come to the game and bring the kids... otherwise seeing them might just not happen as the game and the drive back to their house would be late for Sydney and school the next day.

 

We were originally thinking that we'd go to San Francisco and see Alcatraz, Monterey and down to Hearst Castle along the ocean drive home... or now, Greg mentioned Yosemite/Sequoia National Park if the fall colors are in yet.. So our way of traveling in a point and shoot idea of spontaneous travel is that I suppose we only have to know when we wake up Tuesday as to where we are going.. not much difference in clothing so no packing big deal other than hiking shoes or just flip flops and walking shoes. We haven't set a number of days we will be gone either so that is nice..  will let you know.

 

Tonight we will have mini church, and I was asked to bring dessert, so there is a oreo cookie ice cream dessert in the freezer that I made after lunch today, note to self, make that the day ahead next time...

 

Watching NFL games and I must say that my 3 picks today are only going well in that I picked the Vikings, Packers, and Giants... Vikings were victorious, and the Packers are letting there lead slip away.. Tonight I will miss the Giants game but will be wishing them well in my mind!  I love football season..

 



Monday Morning traffic

I had all kinds of aspirations for getting to work early, getting the dreaded Payroll cinched up for the prior week and then onto some needed projects.  But....................

5 miles from my exit into my commute, traffic on the 710 North comes to a standstill and we all creeping along for 5 miles doing 2 miles per hour................... OMG that was so slow, and people are zigging and zagging into every nook and cranny of open space like that is going to make a real big difference when all lanes are nearly dead stopped.. So with no idea what has been going on in the dark of 45 minutes later, I'm still listening to Pandora and decide to now find a news channel for traffic report if possible.. but my exit will come up soon and so I merge to the right... and then on the radio news channel I find they announce that the 710 North has a 5-6 car pile up and the right three lanes are closed... dang, because I just had to fight my way over to the slow lane in the 5 lanes of traffic.  In the lane to the left and perhaps one car back I suddenly here ths "CRASH, SMASH, BANG" as they hook there bumpers together in relatively slow moving traffic.

Thankful it wasn't me, I now have to start merging to the left back towards the fast lane as the smoking flash sticks (that look like dynamite) and the Highway Patrol cars are pressing us left... Once I get up to the accident scene it's a tangle of cars waiting for tow trucks all smashed up into each other..  Needless to say I was not on time for work nor did it matter.. my supervisors showed up late and in the quiet I got some headway before they came in to start deferring my attention if I let them....

4 more days and I'm on a week of vacation.. YAY... and then I'm back in the office a week, and then off to MN to meet up with Ashley for a week of vacation together with family and going to the Women of Faith conference in Minneapolis with other family. 

Today I got a notice in the mail that I have now been summoned to Jury duty at the end of Oct, which will put me back in the office after MN for just a week before that will start..  I actually like the jury process and hope to get on a good case with intrigue..  wish me luck..

the buzzer has gone off for the chicken and rice to finish for mine and Shanes dinner.. Greg has a business dinner with his once again visiting manager of the so cal territory and I'll be home watching Monday Night Football... Go Packers!

Yes this weekend the Minnesota Vikings beat the favored San Francisco 49'ers. Go Vikings~

An Endeavor kind of day..

This is a picture I enlarged with picture manager from one of the closest that Greg had gotten of the 2 mile away shot... this one will be copied and hung in Gregs office. He took it he gets the credit for all the pictures in this blog..  yay Greg!

I watched the take off in Florida on TV of the Endeavor Space Shuttle piggy backed on a 737 (I think that's what kind of plane it was) on Wednesday early morning. It was starting it's voyage to So California where it will be an exhibit at the Museum of Science and Space in LA near the USC colliseum.  On Thursday afternoon it landed in Palmdale CA at the Edwards Air Force Base.  The reason that the specific Endeavor Space Shuttle is coming to So Cal is because this particular shuttle was built completely in CA with numerous facilities participating in it's build.
http://www.thereporter.com/ci_21608479/space-shuttle-endeavours-final-flight-thrill 

This is an article I read that gives the perspective of those who scrambled out of offices, schools, onto rooftops, top of the parking structures, and hanging out of their 2nd floor bedroom window as Greg did as he works from home for that glimpse of the historic flight.


So for it's farewell tour on Friday and I think to build up excitement for the visit to the museum when it is installed, they circled major locations for the most exposure and it flew literally 250' off the ground through its route.  I saw it twice. Once above our UPS facility and then it made another round and I was then driving home and it flew right next to the 710 southbound as I was going. Their was passenger in a truck to my left who was sticking his camera outside the window towards the right side and thats when I noticed it was parallel to me... what a sight again. As the plane crossed the 710 to the west, I quickly called Greg to tell him "It's coming your way" "It's coming your way", just in case he had ventured back to his desk.... but he didn't answer...... but he was ready to take pictures if it came close to our house and sure enough it was about 1-2 miles north of us as it flew over the Downey Aerospace facility. So these are pictures that Greg took from our second floor window, having removed the screen. He had my camera with the 300 lens on it and he did a great job taking pictures so that he didn't miss the "best" ones.. He had some trees and poles between us that conflicted at times due to the plane being at 250' of height. But he kept clicking and got what I think was the best one with the flag in the shot.  The City of Bellflower has a large scale flag that flies right off the freeway.  Loved it that he got a shot with the plane going East and the plane going West as it made a circle to head to the next landmark it was hitting on it's itinerary.

American exploration being saluted, and how appropriate that he got a picture with a flag, several times.

this is the photo in real time that I enlarged above at the beginning.

 The plane was traveling in an east direction and started it's bank to turn north and then return back to the west almost the same path it took previously.

 

good job honey and for taking the initiative with the camera to get these pictures we will always remember.

Monday randoms

just some random thoughts on a Monday..

the weekends go to quickly, but then all the days after Monday lead towards another one.

California highways are a dangerous place in the city to manuever safely.. come on people look before you change lanes.

I'm determined to soon read and understand the instructions to my coffee maker so it's done when I get up in the morning and ready for breakfast at 4:15... I said "soon"..

only 9 more work days and I'm on a birthday week vacation.

saw the movie 2016 Obama this afternoon and it only validated some of my underlying expectations of 4 more years and made me sad.  Good movie to see whether your democrat or republican.. it won't hurt you but you'll know the depth of the man much better and who he aspires after from his own words in his book and life.

my pick for tonight's football game is the Bronco's and either way I will enjoy watching the football quarterbacking of Peyton Manning.

raising kids and then observing them in adult situations isn't easy.

I have chicken baking in the oven... smells yummy and it's time to go

wknd relaxing

This was a holiday 4 day week and yet it didn't seem like a short work week... oh well, there is always a wknd to offset it.  2nd wknd in a fow that we "went" somewhere out of the normal for an afternoon. Greg generally uses the weekends to make up for time he didn't have for paperwork, and while I'm all over being sympathetic to his need for writing quotes and engineering some drawings,  I pulled rank. 

Last weekend we drove on Sunday to the mountains, and yesterday (Saturday) we drove to Malibu along the ocean, drove to Ventura and bought strawberries, oranges, tomatoes and cucumbers from a road side stand. We then went to Camarillo outlet mall just up the road and walked through some shops, I wasn't in much of a shopping mode, but we had one item in mind and picked the stores strategically for just that.. Greg got a new pair of work shoes at Timberland that are casually dressy and yet can take on some oil that he mucks in while out in his customers shops.. His present work shoes the soles were shot and cracked open. He'd still be wearing them if when he told me, I didn't force the issue.. sheesh!

We had lunch at Red Lobster, not a place we frequent to often so it was a nice change of pace. Having your lobster lunch fresh out of the tank was as fresh as it can get..

We stopped at Pt. Magu State Beach which is north of Malibu and not very populated stretch of beach, and sat enjoying the sound of the ocean crashing on the shore, the wind blowing to keep us actual quite cool, compared to the 90's we left at home just a short time ago. Once it got a bit chilly and we had forgotten sweatshirts, we packed up and headed back towards home along the ocean again.  Saw alot of kite surfers, board surfers in a small area of the ocean from where there is shallow water and a short beach. Takes alot of skill to keep out of the rocks and yet they seemed to know what they were doing out in the might wind that was blowing. We hadn't seen them in the earlier part of the day but as the wind picked up they were out in droves competing for space along the coast.  We arrived home at around 6:30 to warm up leftovers and to watch some college football until we called it a night.

Sunday morning we went to church, hearing a good word from Pastor Ken, do we come to church to bring something or to sit back in the chairs with our arms folded waiting for the pastor to bring something to us?  He demonstrated how the new sermon series "the story" a years chronilogical walk through the bible stories is coming 31 weeks in a row hearing the sermon, reading 4 minutes or 2 pages out of the book "the story" 217 times in that year, and meeting in a small group with others to share what was preached, what we read and what it means for our own life.  I think this is another great series of "D groups" growing together with easily followed materials.  I confess that I did not do a "D" group last time, and while I am considering it this time, I am really more or less just considering reading the book each week.

I will be starting Alpha again this week. Also a friend and I are considering doing a study together, if that should work out, it will take the place of a D group need.  There is only so much that one should get themselves involved in and yet, I do need to move my life i more of a direction towards faithful service and devotion.  I am way way on the other end of the scale that tips it to nearly NOTHING devotional going on right now... selfish choices... God calls me to more...

After church we walked over to the Mexican restuarant Casa Gamina (Gamino) and had lunch with Shane.. These afternoon lunches are the rare time to catch up with him and to interrogate ask questions of him... and to have somewhat our parental insight to what is laid onto the table..  Most often it is low key, and there are times that it needs to have a more serious talking point. Today was insightful.. Good times,,

Well, selfishly I'm watching football and will get back to that. Have a great week ahead..

Wednesday wonderings

Thankful that two work days are done, and only two more to go.. this summer I've had a less than "gun ho get to work" desire. I think it's more that the work will always be piled up and headway is tough to make as much as it's vacation season..

I came home today and found that Shane was home working on his recycle pile that was growing between our garages.  As you can see from the pictures he was working on the plastic bottles, and he had a pile of bottles and cans the same size.  It makes for some gas money of about a $100 whenever he turns them in.

 

Why are you taking a picture?

 

 And then there is his usual grin

Today my housecleaner came and I'm reconsidering my choice as Greg said she wasn't here very long,,, what the heck?? Now he wasn't sure how long she was here, but what he told me dropped my chin to the floor... could he just have from his office not noticed?  But for what I pay to have it done, I expect that she is tripping over the extra's if she runs out of things to do because she is so fast with her helper... But I like having the help for sure, but not at that price, I could hire myself and do that much time and be satisfied..  argh..

As an American, I was shocked that the Democrats changed their platform to "remove" God in whatever context it was stated, and the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.  Obama stands in charge of his platform, and then today in a reversal of fortune in what was most likely an outcry of disgust. But the nonetheless this afternoon they told a "voice" vote with our notorious mayor Villaragosa having to do it three times in order to decide if what sounded like a No vote was determined a 2/3 Yes vote from a small crowd. But trust me I was watching and it was not a 2/3 yes vote. There were even boo's after the vote when it was declared a Yes vote.  God barely made the cut to be recognized by 2/3 of the representation of 1/2 of America's politcal party who has a large voice in society.... I was watching CNN at the time, so don't claim I was watching slanted coverage against the home team..  How sad is that?  One nation under God was at one time a sacred and reverant under pinning of the belief of this country.  To imagine the end times being worse by far than where we are right now seems that we are slippery sloping that direction in a hurry.

I pray for an America that we can continue to live in the freedom to worship freely, blessed by God in it's diversity that is pretty diverse, but not where we sell God out.  My God is mighty, holy, and bigger than what we the people can throw at him, and that is where my faith and trust is aways.

a Labor day wknd...

Happy Labor Day wknd holiday with a respite from work. I like that.

This labor day wknd we started it out on Saturday with some yard work. Greg tore out the garden, I pruned away the summer death in the flower beds where the heat of long vacations without water that took it's toll. I went to Armstrong nuresery and purchased a flat of pansy's or is it pansies.. and some flowers to drape over the edge of the two hanging pots that totally died from either heat or over watering! I placed them into the shade for a later date.. And then we retreated into the house for some A/C as it was heating up outside. Watched a little college football and just

Sunday was a bit cooler and so we decided to head off on a drive in the morning, to the mountains or to the beach.. Chose to head to Lake Arrowhead and we spent the mid part of the day sitting by the lake, strolling the shops, and then headed home as the crowds were thick in the village.  We arrived home around 4pm, watched a little football, and then after dinner I set to plant the flat of flowers, finished just as it was getting dark. The driveway looks clean again with only one spot in front flower bed to fill in a open gap perhaps with a bushy color that needs some height.   But not today~!

As I type this I am watching the US Open of Tennis and just saw a commercial for a 90" tv., holy cow. Our 47" in our living room and that was huge when we later got the 2nd, a 55" in the den.. always a bigger better kind of world.. I would love if they'd make the remotes less complicated in a remote for the tv, a remote for DISH and a remote for the DVD player and what goes first before you hit the next remote....

Okay off to enjoy the day, you as well.

Thursday relief..and election stuff,,,

Today after a work day of average-ness, and then leaving the office at 12:45. I decided to head to the beach for heat relief.  Bolsa Chica State Beach is where I go and have for the last couple of years had a year long parking pass.    The sky was full of thunder clouds in the north and scattered humid filled sky elsewhere. I got to the beach around 2:15 and it was warm there also, but it was cooler than at home. The sun was shining, the wind very light, and it was beautiful. By the time I left it was changing with the clouds darker through the sunshine and these were the two pictures that I took before leaving.

 

 

When I got home and checked facebook, there was a lot of posts that there was wild weather, tornado warnings and downpouring rain in the mountain and desert areas.  Which is where we generally see the thunder clouds off in the distance and they do get the most diverse weather.  We are having cooler temps but the humidity is telling of what was in the air.

 

 cisclaimer that I took my ambien towards the end, might need to rework parts of it,..

 

Tonight as we have for the last couple of nights are watching the coverage on Hannity and Election Headquarters on Foxnews.  I switch back and forth to CNN now and then to see wht they are covering about it, but all I've come across are alot of commercials.. I am a Republican by values, Greg to get the democrat information is registered as a Democrat but votes Republican. Our kids are Republicans and have been trained to vote becaue it is your alienable right as free people to do so.

 

At the convention before the main speakers of Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney, watching those who I have been most impressed by are; Governor Nikki Haley of SC, Governor Susana Martinez of NM, Condeleeza Rice Secretary of State to the Bush Administration. The number of Gov's who came into leadership of their state with deficits, and left with a surplus and balanced budgets, grew their economies in spite of having Obama thwarting there every step.  Their motivation to come from little or nothing. They had parents who encouraged them to work hard, be graceful, get off your butt, go to school and they have acheived high levels of public service and accomplishment in career choices.  I encourage you to google or youtube their speeches. 

 

Now I'll just give you a heads up that if you are a democrat and would prefer not to read what Greg and I think whether politically correct or not, please stop reading NOW.......................................................................................... okay if your still reading.. hang on to your hats cuz whoo, I am going to give it to you straight.

 

Obama hasn't done shit since day one of his presidency but seemingly drive us into a hole and on purpose.. He was elected by a large number of people who bought into his promise of "hope" "change" "yes we can". Many were looking for that as the housing market and job markets were failing and they were struggling economically and cast their ballot for him. We could only stand back and pray that he would follow through on his promises. Not one has been done..

 

With the banks giving out loans like candy to people who didn't have the right to have a loan given to them because they were buying a glut in houses they couldn't afford and then the bottom fell out of construction, tech jobs, etc.  Many people bought into the "change", but in the four years since he has given bailouts to banks that shouldn't have gotten bail outs, even if it meant they failed. That is a controversial opinion, but we paid for that severely in the Federal Debt that just was borrowed to make it happen.  Then there was the Obamacare which is a debt per year that our generations to come will never be able to pay back. Medicare is a dead issue for anyone 45 or under.... we borrow 45 cents of every dollar now given out to medicare, it needs reform to be viable and it's necessary as the promise for Americans. And yet reform is a dirty word to Obama and his party.  Jobs haven't been created they've continued to dwindle as government stifles economic growth.  He could have given the bailout money to families and stimulated the economy evenly.

 

We too were affected in our retirement by a bust in the stock market where drilling for oil reserves with American ingenuity was blocked, banned by the Obama administration until they went bankrupt.  We'll keep working longer but to what extent will the government understand to get out of the way of the inventive spirit of the americans who employ them and stop regulating it to death.

 

The biggest red flag we saw in the pre months of the last election was the warnings that Obama was tied to and had the ideals of socialism. And his immediate "share the wealth" is very noble, but not in a country of freedom. Charity and offerings of time and money are what we are called to be as Christians and followers of Jesus.  Wealth is not sinful povery is not a station in life but a place to fight out of and to keep striving to get help while in it. But when you take wealth from those who work hard for it, and give it away to others just to be equal, that is wrong. There is much work to be done to create Jobs for every citizen.  Welfare to work, short program life to collect on where you show the inventive side of moving forward. We all do it everyday for our selves and with other who are fighting the same battle.

 

We both feel that Obama's hope had no action. That doesn't work for anyone. Hope and change was divide and conquer.  He gave away as much money as he could to sink America into a debt to foreign countries, that can't be paid back. Socialism by apatheic leadership.  His plan is to walk away with no regrets to that debt, he's heated up the racial divide that wealth is only by class and only for whites, and that poverty is is only for anyone non white. That is wrong and not what I see. Poverty is 1 in 6 families, it knows no boundaries and with hard work you can achieve and yet there are times and phases of setbacks for anyone.

 

I won't apologize for our disdain of Obama.. and yes I've rambled on and it wasn't perhaps making much sense, but it I wrote what was spilling out of Gregs mouth would need to be bleeped out...and he'd be in time out..

 

Go Mitt Romney / Paul Ryan 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a beach afternoon

As of late there is a new edict that's been expressed in the workplace of our dept and that is "cut back" where you can.. now that's pretty obvious. I've been very fortunate to work a majority of full time hours as a part time employee, Now part time is just a label, but still alot of hours for me and great benefits. So since a huge emphasis is on the "here and now" of scrutiny, I've cut my hours to 6 even a few times and have been taking in the beach in the afternoons since returning from Alaska..

Today was a warm day that sucks the energy out of you. When I drove past St. Joseph HS the marquis lit up a temp of 102 degrees and that was shocking.. the beach was probably 80 and windy but still cooler that house that was cooking hot...

 

 

 

maybe tomorrow it'll work out again... I hope so... summer might just be getting started with the August heat wave..

Alaskan Vacation photos of Mt McKinley

We left on Aug 14 from Fairbanks Alaska to Anchorage Alaska and than to catch our connection to LAX. Now mind you we Left Fairbanks at 10:20pm and these pictures were taken in the air after that, the sunsets at 10:45pm or later.. 

Seeing Mt. Mc Kinley (Denali ~ which means "great one") is actually very rare due to the cloud cover as it makes it's own weather patterns due to the extreme height of it at 20,328 feet. We saw it once on the train with only a slight amount of clouds at the very top, and then while we were in the airplane on the right side of the airplane heading south out of Fairbanks.  A highlight of many in our trip to Alaska.

The Chena River we were on in Fairbanks just continually wound it's way south with us for 99 miles start to finish in Alaska. As you can see from the pictures I took it has many twists and turns.

 

we are just getting over the Denali National Park area of snow capped moutains.

Just a sunset picture

This is Mt. Mc Kinley (Denali) clear as can be hoped for viewing and we are above it~!

The sun setting directly over Denali are the reason for the next couple of shots

 

Okay now that is the finality of our Alaskan Vacation and right to the end it was what we had hoped for... thanks for joining us.

Post #7 Alaskan Vacation winds down in Fairbanks

Well, I took a couple days from posting, but this will finish it up. I don't have much left and then I will end it with some pictures off of my phone or my favorites.

At the Princess Hotel in Fairbanks, we ate on this deck quite often on the Chena River during our two day stay in this town.

 

  The first of our two Fairbanks excursions planned was a Panning for Gold, where unfortunately none of us but mom struck her fortune.

 

 an old river dredge barge from the (?)1880's

Our first (of many) demonstrations as to how to pan for gold... are we paying attention.. I think not

as we pull in on the train to the panning area there is "dregdge bucket" filled with our "whatevery it was called" bag of stuff to pan the gold out of..

the white bag is our "stuff" (there was an official name for it) and the photo film container for your nuggets has you hopeful,

What you start with and just add water and swirl and swirl and then lean it forward to drain water and the sediment off... but really your timid to lean it to far forward as your GOLD might escape.. but theres really no chance of that.. Gold is heavier than the dirt and will sink to the bottom.. but still your not so sure of that.. so you have them demonstrate it and keep going..

Our group all getting started at the search for gold.

Hey I have gold nuggets... $9.00 worth..

So they don't buy it back from you, but they will put it into jewelry, so several of the kids pool their booty and gave it to mom who had a necklace and earrings made with the nuggets in them...

an old style way of dredging gold for a individual who had his hopes in striking it rich.

 

our second excursion of the day was a trip down the Chena River on the Discovery III paddle boat.

 

 You can pick out our crowd on the deck (Greg & Kimm) and behind the railing the others

Greg explaining how a paddle boat works

the announcer knows the seaplane pilot and so he did a take off and landing demonstration on the narrow river with the paddle boat giving him some space to land.. they broadcast the interaction between the announcer and pilot who talked "to us"

oops, out of order the next few are the Alaskan pipeline that was right next to the train depot and we walked under it to get from the parking lot to the train..

 

  this is what the inside of the pipeline looks like when they "clean it" with the doodad that circulates through the pipe at regulated calendar times.. otherwise it's all oil.

okay, back to the seaplane landing on the Chena River

this cabin is an old cabin that the long post are their "ice" box in the winter where they hung meat because Fairbanks can get to minus -40-60 degrees in the winter.

For the farm folks, figured they would like this GREEN tractor for decor

The Iditarod racer Susan Butcher aged 54 who passed away 6 yrs ago from cancer, this is her training facility for 50 dogs that her husband Dave Monson and two daughters operate. Her husband Dave is standing along the shoreline speaking to the boat on the speakers.

 

 They train the dogs with an engineless quad and the dogs are about as hyperactive and energy filled all day long.  I have film of alot of things on our trip and this was interesting to watch them pull the "sled" around the training camp and around the lake behind them and then back to where they are presently.

the boat stopped at the Chena Village of the Athabascan people.  The next bunch of pictures are the demo village setup of how they might have lived in summer or winter in the distant past.

domesticated Caribou are called "reindeer", these are domesticated

aw how cute

he is demonstrating how they slice and preserve there less than ideal fish catches for "dog food", you can see it hanging on the racks to the left (I didn't center it very well)

one of the reindeer with a hot and heavy libido I might add, who is rutting his felt off of his antlers.. He demonstrated his prowess while she was talking.. hilarious her reaction

she talked about the curing of the hides and what they would use each of the furs for as nothing is put to waste. coyote, wolf, mink, raccoon, beaver

an authentic mushers sled

Greg with the coyote

a typical hut inside and out, with the grass to cool and heat the roof, and the antlers on the peak.

A stuffed moose, (yay we finally saw wildlife) up close.....  This beast is massive in size when you stand up next to it

 

she is modeling a coat made from the hides of the animals, a little bit of several kinds of animals depending on the location on the coat for dryness and warmth.

 

Moose

Bear

Caribou

 

Now that is a rack! Who you looking at?

musher dogs aren't as big as you expect them to be when you see them up close but they are absolutely full of energy... unless your this one then your a poser..

view from the side deck of the river ahead of us. as we sat docked waiting for those to board.

just a beautiful house that had it's own little entry canal cut into the side of the river to lead up to a mansion of a home and landscaped yard.

 

 anyone interested...  beautiful spot if you like warm and cold temps

 

The next day we took a shuttle bus to the visitors center, the next few pictures are outside of the center of the house, flowers, outhouse or hot box as the Van Meeteren river bunch would call it...

and so the vacation comes to an end and mom needs a nap and her feet up..  We checked out of the hotel at 11 am and then wandered the town to be busy.  We were waiting at the hotel like homeless people for the shuttle to the airport for our red eye flights when I caught her napping...

 

 

Now I'm going to finish with our airplane trip photos in the next blog...  beautiful~!