Family Events and Family Visits

We made it back from our road trip in time for Pam and her sister Barb to put the finishing touches on their parents 60th anniversary party to be held a few days after our return. It was decided some time before the date to hold the party at Manny's Pizza in Savanna, Il., one of the families favorite places.
The highlight of the gathering came when Pam & Barb accompanied by Barb's husband Bill on guitar sang "Remember When" by Alan Jackson. Rumor had it that it even brought a tear to their Dad's eye while they sang.
Of course Manny's did a great job. The pizza and tacos were great as usual and I was even able to hide 3 tacos to take home for breakfast the next morning!

The Waites Family

The singers.

The whole family

The Event.

Of course while we were home we were able to visit with friends and family and even sneak out for a night on the town by ourselves one evening.

We returned to Kentucky only to find that Tourist wasn't in her slip! How do you lose a 48' boat? Actually we were warned that she might be moved since they are adding floatation to the docks here at Green Turtle Bay.
It didn't take long for Pam to walk the docks (while I sat in the air-conditioned car) and find our boat tucked in between 2 taller boats all safe and sound. Actually we are now in a slip which offers better protection from the afternoon sun which will help in keeping things cool during the next few weeks of mid-90 degree heat.

In no time after our return it was Pam's birthday. She has never told me how old she is but I'm guessing that she must be right around 39. We spent a quiet day followed by dinner at the Commonwealth Yacht Club where it turned out to be the bartenders birthday also. Lets just say our glasses were never empty. We had a great time and got to share some of the bartenders birthday cake as well before letting the car drive us back to Tourist.
We had the waiter take a nice romantic picture of us sitting at a corner table with the marina in the background that I had planned on using in this post but somehow in this world of digital it disappeared by the next morning. Hmmm. I wonder if Pam is telling me something?

Happy Birthday Pamster!

Shortly after Pam's birthday we were expecting a visit from my daughter Angela and family. However before they arrived we were visited by this prehistoric looking praying mantis.

What's for lunch?

Soon enough the visitor moved on and our guests arrived.

Angela, Doug, & Drew. (Unfortunately Luke had to stay home for his job.)

Over the next couple of days we were able to show them a little of our Kentucky lifestyle.

Doug & Drew trying to sink Angela.

The boys let go and Ange fell into total relaxation. (I think she was asleep!)

Drew imitating his mother doing her morning workout.

Grandpa & Grandson having cigars & a cola.

My baby girl driving the dinghy.

Enjoying a couple of Pam's dips while underway.

We had a fun time visiting but time passes quickly and all too soon we were saying good-bye as they continued their road trip to Nashville & Memphis.

The next few days were hot so we stayed in port plugged in to the shore power. Time to take care of an inside project that I just recently found a suitable solution to.

Approximately two years ago the lower track on our curved shower door started to come apart. At that time I went to the Sea Ray dealer and inquired about a replacement for it. They looked it up and gave me a price of nearly $500.00. Keep in mind this is only a 48" piece of curved plastic! The reason for the high cost was because they only sold this piece as a set with the corresponding piece for the top track. Needless to say I walked out without ordering the part.

Over time I kept looking for something to use as a replacement and just recently I stumbled upon the company that makes the track for Sea Ray. Their price for the lower track only was $148.00. Still somewhat high for a piece of plastic but a lot better than the previously quoted price.
Of course I ordered it and when I received it I had twice as much length as I needed so now I have a spare track. The installation went as planned and one more item got crossed off the "to do" list.

10 years of scum tells where the old track was positioned.

New track in place after Pam cleaned the scum away.

After a few days at the dock the temps dropped back into the low 80's for daytime highs and that gave us the impetus to head out on the hook for a couple of nights. Since we had just been to Duncan Bay we decided to go back to Carmack Bay. Once again we had the whole place to ourselves. And once again we saw deer along the shoreline.

One afternoon we took a dinghy ride back across the Cumberland and checked out a couple of coves that had housing and condo developments along the shore. Before we came back we puttered into Buzzard Rock Marina to check out a possible anchorage in the cove behind the marina. We stayed at Buzzard Rock back in 2011 and found it to be a very friendly place with good dockage and music on the week-ends.

Buzzard Rock Marina.

By now it was approaching cocktail hour so we pointed the bow back across the river and took off. On our way across I remembered that I had downloaded a speedometer app on my phone and since I had never known the actual top end speed of the dinghy it seemed like a good time to find out. Turns out with the two of us onboard we could cruise along at 25 mph. Surprisingly we were still getting a stable ride at that speed in the 11' dinghy. Cocktails just got a little closer!

Nights were comfortable sleeping and the days warm enough to launch the princess chairs and spend time lounging in the cooling waters of Carmack Bay.

Tourist all alone in Carmack Bay.

Another Carmack sunset.

With the week-end coming and the zoo that arrives with it we floated back into GTB in time for their marina days celebration which was topped off with a nice fireworks display.

Sitting in our slip watching the fireworks.

Since we've been back they have been replacing the Styrofoam floatation under the docks by using a modified lift. With 400 slips they have a way to go before being done.

Noticed the guy in the water who pushes the Styrofoam under the dock.

The forecast calls for temps to remain in the mid to upper 90's for the remainder of the month so our outings may be scaled back to day trips since I'm too cheap to run the generator for the a/c at night! Looks like more projects will get checked off the list.

Road Trip

Long before summer arrived here in the Midwest I knew we would be taking my Dad to Mayo Clinic for his annual checkup in July. Normally a one day visit, this time it was going to be two days so they could check on his skin cancer procedure that they had done in June. It occurred to me that this would be a good time to combine this trip with a road trip to Denver to visit my son Ryan. So that's what we did.
First out of the chute was to rent a Chrysler Town & Country van  from Enterprise since none of our cars had enough trunk space to accommodate our luggage and all of Pam's shoes. Also they are much easier to get in and out of for my parents and they ride pretty good too.

The family truckster ready to roll.

We pulled out Tuesday morning arriving in Rochester in time to have lunch before the appointments began. We were able to check in to the hotel before the track meet got started. I say this because if you know my Dad he doesn't like to be late so he nearly runs from one scheduled appointment to the next.
Wednesday was more of the same hustling from place to place with the last appointment being with his heart doctor who said everything checked out ok for a guy his age but suggested he use his oxygen a little more frequently.

Visits completed we were able to check out of the hotel and hit the road. Wait! Let me restate that. We were able to check out of the hotel, Have LUNCH, and then hit the road.

I-90 runs across southern Minnesota and on into South Dakota so that's where we headed. Once we got settled into the drive Pam put a DVD of Johnny Carson's early years on TV into the DVD player in the van to pass the time.

The miles go by.

This is what they were missing.

The day concluded in Mitchell, South Dakota famous for the Corn Palace among other things.

We had all seen it before so it wasn't on the itinerary this time but I pilfered a picture from the internet for all to see. www.cornpalace.com

Thursday we got rolling around 7 back on I-90 headed west. Interesting country out here. Miles and miles of nothing but farmland.

The fields never end.

The terrain does start to change once you get close to Chamberlain, SD. were the road crosses the Missouri River. Actually it gets quite scenic but maybe that's just my opinion since I like water.

The Missouri through the windshield.

Crossing the Missouri looking South.

Looking North.

Changing terrain near the river.

As we continued to our morning stop in Murdo, SD. the land began to again flatten out and look even more desolate if that's possible.

Abandoned building along the road.

We took our morning break at a Pilot Truck Stop for fuel and more importantly for Pamster to get her coffee. Pilot really does have the best coffee on the road.

At this point we left I-90 and pointed due south on Hwy 83. A mostly two lane road for the next few hours.

The never ending road.

Of course no road trip would be complete without road construction.

The temperature was already in the low 80's without a shade tree in sight.

Once we got to North Platte, Nebraska we picked up I-80 and again turned west. This time with a lot more traffic on the road since 80 is one of the main corridors connecting the East coast with the West coast.

The temps were pushing 100 when we turned off 80 onto I-76 towards Denver. We made a quick stop in Ft. Morgan for fuel and the thermometer read 105 degrees. But it's a dry heat!

Just about the time we started seeing the Rockies we encountered a rain squall that kicked up the wind and dropped the temperature to 90. Still hot!

We missed most of the rain.

Our timing was perfect for our arrival in Denver. 4 pm. Just in time for rush hour. Fortunately we were heading into town while most were coming out. We encountered very few slow downs before getting off I-25 and arriving at my son Ryan's place.

Denver in the distance.

Now which one is it?

Of course Ryan had just taken possession of the condo so we got to help with picture hanging and window covering and a bit of reorganizing.

Notice the decorator window coverings. On sale now at Home Depot!

His condo is nice but it's spread out over 3 levels and for a guy that is used to operating at or near sea level climbing those steps in the Mile High city was noticeable.

The condo is also located about 4 blocks from Mile High Stadium. Convenient if your going to a game but a pain to get around if your not. Traffic patterns and parking get altered for any event taking place there so advanced planning is a must.

 

Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Thank God for corporate sponsors plastering their name all over every venue in the country!

One of the days we road out through Golden and up the back road to Lookout Mt. A road filled with switch backs and bicyclists. One of the roads that Ryan rides with his bike on a weekly basis. I'd be dead before I ever got to the base!

Looking out over Golden.

We were going to stop on top at Buffalo Bills grave but the driver had an elevation brain freeze and drove right on by. Next time I guess.

On the way down, on a much better road we detoured to make a stop at Red Rocks Amphitheater, a natural venue in the rocky terrain outside of Denver.

Pam had never seen the place so Ryan dropped us off in one of the parking lots and we began our climb. And a slow climb it was.

Our path to the top. There must be a better way!

Bambi was along the trail not seeming to notice any of the pedestrians walking by.

Once we arrived at the top we discovered that the road does go all the way up. Hmmm. Fortunately I had cell service and hailed our driver once we had looked the place over.

We made it!

Looking down at the stage.

The view back towards the city.

Red Rocks.

Red Rocks attracts a lot of top entertainers during the summer months. Someday maybe we'll be there to take in the experience ourselves. www.redrocksonline.com

Back into the city we went. That evening Ryan and his girlfriend Ainsley prepared pork chops on the grill for dinner. (Yumm!) We were joined by my cousin Mark's daughter Abby and her boyfriend who have recently moved to Denver and are getting acclimated to the area and all it has to offer. It was a nice visit with all since we don't often cross paths.

Their moving to Denver typifies the influx of people into this city. Construction of apartments and condo's is evident all around. The downtown is vibrant with a mixture of business and leisure development and a younger vibe that oozes from the rehabbed buildings of the city.
Prerequisites for living here seem to be a dog or two. An all wheel drive vehicle. And a car top carrier for bikes, skis, or kayaks depending on the season. Definitely a young persons paradise.

For the occupants of the family truckster we unfortunately no longer fall into that younger demographic. Reality here we come.

Monday morning we loaded the van, said our goodbyes to Ryan and were on the road by 5. Traffic was light as we left the city waiting for the sun to come up.

There's a glow in the sky as we head northeast on I-76.

With the speed limit being 75 it didn't take long to cover the remaining miles in Colorado and connect with I-80 for the ride across Nebraska and Iowa. We made a few stops for food and fuel along the way and arrived back home around 8 pm. Not a bad days drive of 900 miles. And the truckster... It averaged 27 mpg. Not bad for a rig that size traveling at 75 -80 mph.

We did pass one attraction that has been built since I used to run these roads. The I-80 Arch near Kearney, Nebraska. A structure that until last year had no exit from the interstate nearby. Now they have one just a mile away! No reason not to stop the next time through. www.archway.org

A man made attraction in the middle of nowhere.

All in all it was a good trip covering just over 2000 miles but I think it's soon time to get back to the boat!