Donner Pass

TOG and I enjoyed our first road trip so much, we took a few days for a mini road trip in early September. This trip took us back over the Sierras and we stopped at Donner Pass in Northern California. There are some lovely little hikes at the top of the pass and we took the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery....

Even though neither of us had hiking boots on, the loop we chose was very ill-prepared-hiker friendly!

The trees were utterly fascinating and I loved looking at the dead soldiers on the forest floor. And then TOG pointed up...

I swear this tree had the most perfect branches!

TOG was enjoying his camera as well. I love shooting with him because we see things so differently at times!

But we both agreed on these last two shots... TOG and I loved finding this boulder field in the middle of the forest... So stark and grey in the midst of the trees. But a half mile further....

And here was a beautiful mountain pool soaking up the sun!

One of things we love most about road trips are the little side adventures waiting for the curious traveler. All you have to do is stop to have them.

Wishing you a beautiful weekend in your neck of the woods!

AG out!

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.  ~John Muir

Thankful

I was doing a whole series of posts on Facebook about what I was thankful for... but I think I can do a better job here with some visuals!

I am always thankful for my Old Goat... prickly, nature loving, vivid, appealing... these are all words that describe him!

I'm thankful for my camera, through which the world is an ever present canvas to be explored...

I'm thankful for the Brute Squad who spend their time keeping the fence under surveillance and entertaining us with their antics...

I'm thankful for family...

I'm thankful for the beauty I see everyday on the way to work...

I'm thankful for all the little gadgets that keep my lungs on board...

And all the things unexpected in life that make you smile!

I'm thankful for football! And coaches!

And friends that make life sweeter!

Wishing you all the blessings in life as you head into the final month of the year!

AG out!

Location Please

After getting off at the wrong train station in Brussels, The Old Goat and I made it point to determine where we were before disembarking.

Thankfully, the folks in Wales are much better at marking their train stations.

Is this your stop?

AG out

Just a note...

...to say that this is where I'd like to be right now.

I need to get away for a bit. Recharge...

I've spent too much time with computers and not enough time with me... or my family.

Where's my luggage?

AG out.

Scotland by rail

Anytime I find a few moments to edit images, it ends up taking forever because I get lost in the memories. Not so much the memories of the trip, even though they are awesome memories, but the way I felt when I saw places for the first time. For me, seeing Scotland for the first time was magical. I'd always, always wanted to see Ireland, but somehow didn't think I'd ever see Scotland. And while they were similar, parts of Scotland was so much more remote and "less settled".

Our first veiws were from the train. When we planned the ferry trip from Ireland to Scotland, we decided to take Scot Rail from the coast to Glasgow because TOG didn't want to drive and miss anything. Our first impressions were of the low lands, but the scenery changed as we climbed higher and made our way inland.

There were more trees but the rolling hills remained the same.

The conductor noticed TOG and I snapping away and invited TOG to come up and take photographs from his open window. TOG sent me because I had the better camera! What a guy!

The conductor's words were succinct. "Keep your head in at all times, Missus. And there's a lovely view of the Galloway Forest around the next bend."

He might as well have handed me the keys to the kingdom!

Yes, it's just as green as Ireland!

That ridge of trees just below the sky is the Galloway Forest.

I tried to focus on the big picture, but I kept getting distracted...

By things like this.

I was so enjoying the scenery that the train ride was over before we knew it.

And there we were at Glasgow Central... smack in the middle of the biggest city in Scotland!

AG out!

A Far Cry...

Tomorrow morning, we leave Ireland and it was beautiful! The castles were amazing!

It's interesting. Probably our least favorite hotels were the first night in Dublin and now the last night in Belfast. Although this room is lovely, it's quite loud and possibly in a not-so-fab area of town.

I've learned a number of things in Ireland:

• Just when you think the road can't get narrower, it does.
• Their accent is just lovely.
• Even if it is a problem, almost all them say "It's no problem, fine then, no worry."
• The cider is quite tasty.
• There are more cows than sheep.
• The air is quite clean, even in Dublin. (my asthma has been fairly well behaved barring musty castle stairs)
• They still burn coal in some places and sell it at filling stations.
• All the churches have a yew tree in front.
• Even with a GPS, you might not find your destination.
• When in doubt, go for a pint!

We're in Belfast on a Saturday night. There's a drum and piccolo march out in the street in support of the crown.

All in all, we're a far cry from our home in Seattle.

Cheers!

AG

Essentials

With the count down to Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales underway, the preparation gets a little further along each day. (only 13 work days left)

Because we won't be in any one location longer than two nights, TOG and I have been focusing on mobility... Wrinkle resistant clothes, multifunctional carry on bags, quick dry underwear that can be washed and hung at night and it's dry in the morning. Both of us have been purchasing clothing specifically for the trip. Last week, I packed some of them for the conference in Yakima just to see how they would travel. I'm feeling good about the wrinkle release aspect.

Documentation is ready, passports, international driving permits, plane tickets. Still waiting for our itinerary in Ireland and we've decided to just play it by ear in the UK... no reservations and very little structure. Still have to get preloaded cards with pounds and euros.

I have my bags planned for carry on.... camera, nebulizer, medication. TOG has the netbook, passports, power converter and camcorder.

My hair color and leg waxing are planned for the day before we leave.

Things not yet figured out... shoes. How many pairs? I'm traveling lighter than I've ever traveled. I'd like to get by with two pairs, but I may have to take 3. Hair care and skin care... I'd like to buy tiny containers and download my stuff. TOG wants me to buy hair and face stuff when we get to Ireland. Comtemplating whether I can live with just a round brush and whatever blow dryer is in hotel rooms. How many memory cards will I need? Is there room for my battery charger in my carry on? How many spare inhalers will I need? Should I buy a gps?

In the meantime, my home computer burped and had to have it's hard drive wiped and operating system reloaded. I haven't even had time to plug it back in. So I'm on my laptop with no photo editing or photos except what's already on line.

One thing I'm sure of is that I can't wait to travel Ireland and the UK with the love of my life!

Yours in planning and preparation,

AG

The Challenge

I have never packed light in my life. Ever.

My motto is "take more than you think you need. you'll never regret it!"

With The Old Goat and I heading to Ireland and the UK in June for 3 weeks, and not staying in the same place for more than two nights, I'm finally forced to consider the weight of my luggage.

It is not a pretty picture.

Some things are non negotiable... like the 50 pounds of lung meds I'll be lugging through the Scottish highlands.

Other things, like hair products, are being trimmed to the absolute minimum, much like the 2/3's of my hair I recently lobbed off.

Some things, like cosmetics, are not even being considered.

Clothing is being crumple tested in advance. If I can wad it up on my dresser for three days, shake it out and wear it to work, it's earned a place in the suitcase.

But what in the world does one do about shoes? Only one pair? *shudder* Two? One in the suitcase and one on my feet?

I have 8 weeks to figure out the shoe issue.

Help!

Getting Ready

This morning is staff meeting day, so I'm out of here soon.

Yesterday was a tough day with the break in and burglury at work. We lost over $3000 worth of landscaping equipment including adaptive equipment. Its hard for me to think of the crews and how they'll work with fewer tools, but it's also difficult as the fundraiser to think of writing grants to replace the equipment. And yeah... it makes a dent in my holiday spirit as well. Ugh.

In the meantime, TOG and I have plans for the weekend. We're leaving in the morning to see Roger Watters in Canada tomorrow night. Something about Pink Floyd.... And yes, I will be seeing the lovely Baroness as well.

I might be am far more excited about that than the concert!

What are you excited for this weekend? Help me out... my holiday spirit needs a lift!

AG out

I have to tattle on K3... she was selected Student of the Month at her transition program AND she was rated uber cooperative at her volunteer position at the foodbank! And Christmas is right around the corner! Life is good for our little K3!

Yellowstone part two

Yellowstone continued with it's stunning beauty! This shot was around midday. The weather prediction had been for thunderstorms, but it was actually quite pleasant and the warm clothes we'd bought in Bozeman the night before got slowly stripped away. We also continued to climb, and my lungs which had taken quite a beating at Mammoth Hot Springs were probably at their worst. I'm not complaining though. Sitting in the car at Yellowstone is no hardship!

I actually had to run down the road for this picture! Spotting animals in Yellowstone is easy. Just look for the traffic jam! TOG couldn't find a place to pull over, so I leaped out and heard people yelling "Bear, Bear!" As always, I had my 18-200 zoom... which was barely able to capture this Grizzly as he was on the move looking for food. When I got back to the car, I looked at TOG and said "we're going to need a bigger lens!" I changed TOG's lens out for our telephoto and kept the zoom on mine so that we'd be able to capture more wildlife.

I captured this shot a few minutes later...

TOG snuck up on K3 and I on our way back from looking at the buffalo!

Here's another stot that TOG took. His turned out better than mine!

TOG shot this pool with my camera. After leaping out of the car to photograph the bear, buffalo and elk, the lungs needed a break. TOG pulled over and I opened my car door and realized there was at least a 50/50 chance I would fall on my face if I tried to stand up. I think we were around 8000 feet here.

I did get out for these paint pots a little while later. From what I read, these are like thermal pools except there's less water flow and it ends up looking like bubbling mud. Still very sulfuric...

Paint pot close up! Very hot!

This is the Saphire Pool, considered one of the prettiest in Yellowstone. This picture does not do it justice. It looks like Carribean waters and you just want to leap in. I think the smell of sulfer is a great reminder to just stand back and look!

Stay tuned for Old Faithful!

AG out!