Living in Shanghai
http://livingblog.andrewparkes.com
Living in Shanghai
Early morning view of Grand Mesa
OK, while not REALLY August now, my last morning before the trip down to Grand Junction and packing for the trip back to Shanghai to begin the new school year ...
That's the West End of Powderhorn ski area on the right ... actually quite steep and through the trees is considered double black, quite challenging and fun, if you are good in the trees! grinning ...
That's the West End of Powderhorn ski area on the right ... actually quite steep and through the trees is considered double black, quite challenging and fun, if you are good in the trees! grinning ...
A couple of views of the Crag Crest Trail ...
After a little uphill trek from the West Parking Lot, there is a wonderful forest area, ...
and a vast amount of mushrooms, everywhere it seemed ...
... then up along and into the "Crag" past of the trek ...
... where the views are spectacular, on a clear day or even when clouds and storms threaten ...
... on a clear day, you seem to be able to see forever!! One of my favorite treks, no doubt!
From Denver to Grand Junction on I-70
Skipping up to Loveland Ski Area and the Continental Divide at the height of the trip ...
Amazing to know that I am driving up at 11,000 feet!! (That's about 3,357 meters - my 20 year old 4Runner is doing awesomely!) Yes, lots of road construction in Colorado, stimulus money at work. Colorado is so broke there would be NO road construction without the stimulus - teachers are taking pay cuts, services are being cut, etc. ... but this is not about economics, back to the trip ..
Coming out of the Eisenhower tunnel (finished in 1973), ...
... what an awe inspiring view, the tree line, the forests, clouds, ...
... at about 11 am, I have a hard time keeping my eyes on the road sometimes!! ...
Past Silverthorn and Frisco towns (at 9,000+ feet) to Copper Mountain ski area (one of the best layouts of a ski area *I* have ever seen), up Vail Pass (10,500+ ft), past Vail, Avon, Edwards and Eagle towns ...
... to Glenwood Canyon, one of MY personal favorites on the Interstate 70 corridor ...
... past Glenwood Springs (wonderful hot springs here and the turn off to the Aspen area, past Parachute, Rifle and along to desert type of scenery now, as you can see above, lots of wonderful mountains to view along the way ...
... then up the DeBeque (pronounced DeBeck) cut-off to Grand Mesa. The above mountain is one of the wonderful desert views along that road. A quick stop at Peter's for libation and a chat before heading up to hike the Crag Crest Trail.
Amazing to know that I am driving up at 11,000 feet!! (That's about 3,357 meters - my 20 year old 4Runner is doing awesomely!) Yes, lots of road construction in Colorado, stimulus money at work. Colorado is so broke there would be NO road construction without the stimulus - teachers are taking pay cuts, services are being cut, etc. ... but this is not about economics, back to the trip ..
Coming out of the Eisenhower tunnel (finished in 1973), ...
... what an awe inspiring view, the tree line, the forests, clouds, ...
... at about 11 am, I have a hard time keeping my eyes on the road sometimes!! ...
Past Silverthorn and Frisco towns (at 9,000+ feet) to Copper Mountain ski area (one of the best layouts of a ski area *I* have ever seen), up Vail Pass (10,500+ ft), past Vail, Avon, Edwards and Eagle towns ...
... to Glenwood Canyon, one of MY personal favorites on the Interstate 70 corridor ...
... past Glenwood Springs (wonderful hot springs here and the turn off to the Aspen area, past Parachute, Rifle and along to desert type of scenery now, as you can see above, lots of wonderful mountains to view along the way ...
... then up the DeBeque (pronounced DeBeck) cut-off to Grand Mesa. The above mountain is one of the wonderful desert views along that road. A quick stop at Peter's for libation and a chat before heading up to hike the Crag Crest Trail.
In the U.S.A. in Toronto International Airport ...
Here's the picture of being in the U.S.A. yet just on the other side of the glass wall is Toronto, Canada! Laughing ...
(To the right is Canada, we are in the U.S.A. having already past customs, immigration, and checked our bags, etc.)
(To the right is Canada, we are in the U.S.A. having already past customs, immigration, and checked our bags, etc.)
BACK in the U.S.A. !! But ...
BUT still in Toronto International Airport!!!
The US checks us in HERE at the Toronto Airport BEFORE we fly into the US!!! Quite interesting really.
On the way to Grand Junction ... FINALLY, EH?!!? Laughing out loud!
The US checks us in HERE at the Toronto Airport BEFORE we fly into the US!!! Quite interesting really.
On the way to Grand Junction ... FINALLY, EH?!!? Laughing out loud!
Through O'hare again to Toronto!
Well - I guess I have to use the lyrics of Commander Cody and Elvin Bishop, "You can never have too much fun"!!
LONG lines to get into Toronto (Canada) moved fast (and mine split into two so was exceptionally fast) on a MONDAY AFTERNOON!!!
What's up with THAT?!?
Met my cousin (that's second cousin, once removed! grin) and we chatted through the hour long car ride, dinner (with his wife), and until time for bed! Amazing how many things there are to talk about when you haven't seen someone for 6 years, eh?!?
Laughing ...
LONG lines to get into Toronto (Canada) moved fast (and mine split into two so was exceptionally fast) on a MONDAY AFTERNOON!!!
What's up with THAT?!?
Met my cousin (that's second cousin, once removed! grin) and we chatted through the hour long car ride, dinner (with his wife), and until time for bed! Amazing how many things there are to talk about when you haven't seen someone for 6 years, eh?!?
Laughing ...
The Old Fiat Spyder
WOW ...
.... numerous memories there!!
.... numerous memories there!!
North of New Haven, Connecticut
A bounce from Des Moines to Chicago found some wonderful scenery ... (through the plane window)
... to the fields north of New Haven ...
... fresh tomato sauce (to be), yum ...
... Michael in his kitchen, the chef prepares for Tony Bennett tomorrow night! grin
... to the fields north of New Haven ...
... fresh tomato sauce (to be), yum ...
... Michael in his kitchen, the chef prepares for Tony Bennett tomorrow night! grin
Woodward, Iowa too
My friends have such a nice little 6 acre pond on their property, which luckily did NOT get hit by as much rain as Ames, Iowa!!!
An early morning picture, the boys LOVE the pond and tree areas created on their property!
An early morning picture, the boys LOVE the pond and tree areas created on their property!
Visiting Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Each year I come back to the corn and soybean fields of Iowa, the "Field of Dreams," to visit friends ... many friends, once of which is Steve, of course ...
Yes, the shirt is a "Bintang" beer shirt from Bali, Indonesia - mine a Yogyakarta purchase for 39,999 rupiah (at 9,000 r to $1, you figure out the math - grin)!
Yes, the shirt is a "Bintang" beer shirt from Bali, Indonesia - mine a Yogyakarta purchase for 39,999 rupiah (at 9,000 r to $1, you figure out the math - grin)!
The Bachelor Party - ok, Preparation for the Wedding
We begin the set-up / Bachelor Party at around 3 in the afternoon - quite warm, but it gives us an excellent idea of where the sun will be tomorrow during the pre-wedding time when everyone shows up ... until the wedding begins around 6 pm.
Some of us had more work to do than others, this is as still a picture I could get of him ... "You have a hold of that over there?" grin
... the PA cord is tangled and so gets a thorough examination ...
THAT LOOKS VERY GOOD for the first day of preparation!!!
TIME TO EAT!!! YUM ..
Some of us had more work to do than others, this is as still a picture I could get of him ... "You have a hold of that over there?" grin
... the PA cord is tangled and so gets a thorough examination ...
THAT LOOKS VERY GOOD for the first day of preparation!!!
TIME TO EAT!!! YUM ..
Las Vegas - Airport!
McCarran Airport is a trip - CULTURE SHOCK!!! From the woods of upper Wisconsin to the One Arm Bandits (slot machines) here in the airport! Only about a hundred right in front of me! grin
They have FREE internet here, unlike ON the airplane (Delta) where you CAN get internet access... for a price! grin
Another hour and a half and I get to negotiate LAX - Los Angeles Airport and the trip to the hotel! No worries - another adventure begins! (Two time zones shift as well!)
They have FREE internet here, unlike ON the airplane (Delta) where you CAN get internet access... for a price! grin
Another hour and a half and I get to negotiate LAX - Los Angeles Airport and the trip to the hotel! No worries - another adventure begins! (Two time zones shift as well!)
A Day to Make Pies!
One of the requirements when I come to upper Wisconsin is that I MUST make at least two pies!!! (In China we don't have ovens - mostly - so I figure to keep up my whole wheat crust and pie making abilities ... Very Big Grin) ...
That's a fresh peach with raspberries on the left and fresh blueberry on the right!!! YUM! Of course, all gone!
That's a fresh peach with raspberries on the left and fresh blueberry on the right!!! YUM! Of course, all gone!
Native Wisconsin Food
Relaxing and EATING of course ... a walk in the woods here brought forth a bounty of mushrooms!!
And of course basil for pesto!!! grin
And of course basil for pesto!!! grin
A Day for Relaxation!!
After a wonderfully long kayaking trip ...
... a day of relaxation, which Fred the cat exemplifies oh so well!!
and ...
... a day of relaxation, which Fred the cat exemplifies oh so well!!
and ...
Arriving Back on the Mainland!
Back from kayaking around in the Slate Islands to Terrace Bay ... where I left my camera, we have a BEEEAAAUUUTiFUL DAY!!
The kayaks are still on the shuttle boat behind and we are busily packing up! Sure is a different look from when we left!! laughing ...
The kayaks are still on the shuttle boat behind and we are busily packing up! Sure is a different look from when we left!! laughing ...
Leaving the Campsite on Mortimer for the Last Time
What an excellent site!
and then out into the water ...
For a last paddle to the drive home ...
and then out into the water ...
For a last paddle to the drive home ...
West side of Patterson Island
Starting out from Horace Cove, we were quite amazed to find the seas had mellowed to around 1 meter waves, maybe a few higher but no chop. There was still a strong wind, however the waves were much more manageable than yesterday.
Keeping hats on was imperative as the sun had been quite brutal all trip!
We did NOT want to end up on the shoals or the reefs!!
The scenery was absolutely amazing so we had to stop often just to check out the rocks, stones, and foliage.
What a nice trip around Patterson Island!
Keeping hats on was imperative as the sun had been quite brutal all trip!
We did NOT want to end up on the shoals or the reefs!!
The scenery was absolutely amazing so we had to stop often just to check out the rocks, stones, and foliage.
What a nice trip around Patterson Island!
Southern Patterson Island
Beginning the day from the wonderful cove just south of South Bladder Lake on Patterson Island, we began the most turbulent day of our paddling trek. While no storms were near, the waves were up to 2.5 meters with a chop on top. Luckily, we were mostly shielded by the Island from the full force of the waves and wind.
We paddled past the largest lighthouse on Lake Superior and Sunday Point into Sunday Harbour and to the shore on the other side.
Some VERY interesting rock formations just in front of me ...
We rounded the point into the full force of the waves and wind (very close to 2.5 meter waves and they were "kerplotic" which means the waves hit the walls and bounce back so that you have counter waves of almost the same size but at a different direction!)
Once we entered the cove, we had another wonderful campsite to use (albeit windy, notice the wind protection (tarp and logs) on the camp stove below.
A wonderful bay as we watch the setting sun on the trees ...
We paddled past the largest lighthouse on Lake Superior and Sunday Point into Sunday Harbour and to the shore on the other side.
Some VERY interesting rock formations just in front of me ...
We rounded the point into the full force of the waves and wind (very close to 2.5 meter waves and they were "kerplotic" which means the waves hit the walls and bounce back so that you have counter waves of almost the same size but at a different direction!)
Once we entered the cove, we had another wonderful campsite to use (albeit windy, notice the wind protection (tarp and logs) on the camp stove below.
A wonderful bay as we watch the setting sun on the trees ...
Patterson Island - the East Side
The wind picked up overnight so instead of paddling around the west side of Patterson, we opted for the leeward (or less wind) side.
Rounding the corner and into the cove, we found this little guy ... right in the middle ... I will zoom in ...
We had already seen a few caribou however no males with racks like his!!!
He looked at us and we at him ...
He finally decided we weren't really THAT interesting and wandered off! So we paddled on and found this wonderful campsite to watch the sun set!!
We clearly enjoyed the leeward side and a nice paddle down to the little cove just south of South Bladder Lake.
Rounding the corner and into the cove, we found this little guy ... right in the middle ... I will zoom in ...
We had already seen a few caribou however no males with racks like his!!!
He looked at us and we at him ...
He finally decided we weren't really THAT interesting and wandered off! So we paddled on and found this wonderful campsite to watch the sun set!!
We clearly enjoyed the leeward side and a nice paddle down to the little cove just south of South Bladder Lake.