Trojans In Paradise- '07

(You can click the photo and enlarge it.)
How much time ya got?
Big Bubba has come through with the pics, and there are a ton of 'em!
Take a look here, and take note of the right sidebar. There you'll find the photos divided into Hawaii Day 1, Day 2, etc.. Some of our Las Vegas pictures are also in an album there.

If you have time and want to see them all, there's a button to click to view them all in a slideshow, and you can adjust the viewing speed. I've looked at all of 'em... you can make the decision about how many and how quickly you want to view. (If you, like me, think photography is an art, you REALLY should take a look at all the pics when you have time... I think BB has a real eye to turn the normal into something special!)

Greasy Eyeballs, Ferengi Style

I don't blame him. I can't keep my eyes off her either.

Okay, where were we? I remember... on our way to Hoover Dam. The Dam is South and East of Las Vegas, on the road to Phoenix. In Boulder City, Nevada, we found ourselves in the wrong lane to bypass the business district, and since we weren't on a tight schedule, took the scenic route through Boulder City. It turned out to be a wonderful mistake. Leaving town on the East side we were thrilled at the views of Lake Mead. The road doubled back on itself several times, each view of the Lake as beautiful as the one before.
Mid-day traffic approaching the security checks was much worse than we experienced in the wee hours of Saturday morning, but it wasn't terrible. Big Bubba once again had to show Department of the Interior Officers what was beneath the tonneau cover, and in a few minutes we parked at the Dam to take the tour. I won't go into detail except to say I found it interesting and recommend it. The view from the overlook is worth the price of the tour, but if you have any interest in the extraordinary engineering involved in building the dam, you'll be doubly glad you stopped and took the tour.

Echo was right... we found ourselves saying, "Oh look this way!", time and time again as we drove Eastbound away from the Dam. The canyon views are indescribable.

Stressed and tired from two full days of walking and looking, my family went to sleep as I pointed the truck back toward Phoenix. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the already red hills turn the color of red wine as the sun got lower and lower... while listening to Big Bubba and Sara Jean snore and intermittently wake themselves with a snort. It's a good thing I love driving! We picked up Desi the Dachshund and made our way to BB's apartment, and in short order ALL of us were horizontal, snoring and snorting.

So now we no longer have to say we haven't been to Las Vegas. It's gonna take me a while to decide if I'd like to return... we dutifully followed Echo's instructions about the Dollar slot machine... money in, pull the lever... click, click, click... money gone. I guess I'm just too damn cheap... no kicks there for me at all. The mountains around Vegas are beautiful. There are other sights around town we'd enjoy seeing. By the time we drove by Fremont Street late Saturday night our "Dogs" were barkin' and we were too tired to enjoy it... we passed it by.

TC suggested a Vegas mini-reunion. I'd be up for that, simply because I'd like to see more of the Hotels... the Venetian, the Bellagio, and the Luxor, and I know I'd enjoy walking down Fremont Street. So if you think a Vegas mini is a good idea, say so in your comments!

All Your $$$$ Belong To Vegas!

That's the view from the overlook above the Hoover Dam from the Arizona/Lake Mead side.
Big Bubba took that photo late Friday night/early Saturday morning on our way to Las Vegas. It's an extraordinary place, and I recommend you check it out if you've not been.

After publishing my last post we set out to get a feel of what Las Vegas has to offer. We drove the strip from North to South, then turned around and drove back to our starting point. It was a chilly but sunny day with lots of folks out walking the strip, even at Noon-time in a city that doesn't really awaken 'til 3 P.M. Some were dressed in full Winter garb, others in shorts and short sleeved shirts....
An interesting mix.

The world we grew up in is full of images.
When I first went to Dealey plaza in Dallas I was amazed at the "been there already" feeling I had because of all the still and moving pictures we have been exposed to...
Same with much of Las Vegas... we've seen most of the images a thousand times, so it's odd to be lookin' at them in person. We really had no idea what to expect from the city, so it's impossible for Vegas to disappoint us. But I will say this- we saw Elvis, the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, and lots of boobs.... all startling replicas of the real thing.
The thing that did surprise me on our drive, and for that matter the entire weekend, was the scale of the place... again, we didn't know what to expect, but the drive from one end of the strip to the other took 45 minutes. We had thought we might walk it... NOT POSSIBLE!

We drove back North to the Hilton Hotel, home of "Star Trek, The Experience", and went to "Quark's Bar" for a bite to eat. For you "Trekkies" out there, Big Bubba had a "HamBorger". Sara Jean and I shared "Leeta's Clam Chowder", and an order of "The Holy Rings of Betazed". After those appetizers SJ ordered the "Sulu Toss", while I ordered the "Warbird". A little pricey, I was surprised at the quality and content of the food... it was tasty and there was more than we could finish.

You don't have to be a fan of the movies/series to enjoy "The Experience". Admission actually gets you two experiences... a "Klingon Encounter" and the "Borg Invasion". Both were interesting and exciting, but my favorite was the "Klingon Encounter." Thirty or so of us "crewmen" were briefed on our mission, then seated in a shuttlecraft, where we were taken on an acrobatic flight to try to avoid being sucked into a Klingon "Bird of Prey". The shuttle craft had a great visual display and reminded me of some of the best flight simulators available today. I was actually slightly disoriented during the ride and felt I had gotten more than my money's worth.

As I have previously indicated, for the Greybeard family this was a "scouting mission" to see if we wanted to return to Las Vegas for a lengthier visit later. When we finished with our Star Trek experience, we purchased a ticket for the Las Vegas Monorail, a driverless, computer-operated tramway that runs most of the length of the strip. A 24 hour pass cost $9 and seemed like a bargain. We boarded the train at the stop just outside the Hilton and rode South to the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino. A quick note about the Monorail... I still think it is the most efficient way to get from point "A" to point "B" in town, but you need to be aware that getting off the train forces you to walk all the way through each of the Casinos in order to get to "Las Vegas Avenue" to continue your walk down the strip. Walking through each of the casinos is no small feat... it can take upwards of 15 minutes, and it's never a straight shot, so you can easily get disoriented and make the walk even longer.

And be advised... everyone in Vegas is an expert at separating you from your money. There are no water fountains... if you want a drink you'll have to pay for it. Kiosks are everywhere trying to sell you time shares, Las Vegas trinkets, photos, massages, you name it. Be ready to buck up and "Just Say No!"

We walked through The MGM Grand, Harrah's, Bally's, and The Venetian...
Wow... The Venetian!
A canal runs down through the center of the "street", leading to a town square. It's a sunny, gorgeous day, even when it's raining and 55 degrees on the outside. Gondoliers sing as they transport passengers in their gondolas... it's another wonderful, FAKE atmosphere!

We walked over to The Bellagio and watched "The Famous Dancing Fountains" put on their show to Aaron Copland's "The Gift To Be Simple". The fountains put on a show every 15 minutes to a different piece of music, and I think I could sit and watch them all day long.

At 11 P.M. our feet finally screamed loud enough to be heard above the din. We walked back through Harrah's to the Monorail and via the Hilton, made our way back to the car. Back at Nellis Air Force Base, it didn't take long for us all to be asleep. Our plan was to tour Hoover Dam on our way home.

That post is comin' up.

Las Vegas, Baby!

Isn't the desert supposed to be dry?
Yeah, I know, it's the total rainfall that determines what's desert and what ain't, but does the total annual rainfall in Northwestern Arizona have to fall on the night we're driving to Las Vegas?
Man, it poured!

We left Phoenix at 8 P.M., dropped Desi the Dachshund off at his dog-sitter's, and hit the road. It's a benefit to leave at that hour, 'cause traffic has diminished considerably. We encountered one accident that backed traffic up for 10 minutes or so, and then we were freewheelin' it outta town. Although it was dark outside, initially the clouds were broken and we could see hills in the distance... beautiful. I had forgotten what it's like to drive across the desert at night. It's sobering to drive for over an hour at 70 miles per hour and not see a town, no streetlight, no artificial lights at all... just open desert. We shared the road the entire trip with other vehicles, so Sara Jean never felt the onset of a panic attack, but my Chicago girl once again had her eyes opened about places she's never been.

I love the roads out here. Even the two-laners are well kept, and don't suffer the freeze/thaw cycles we experience back East, so they're mostly smooth to traverse. They seem to have done a better job of marking them so you know well ahead of time what lane to be in for a change of highway. Kudos Arizona!

Since 9-11 they have a security checkpoint you must pass through in order to drive across Hoover Dam. No commercial vehicles are allowed... I guess they have to cross the Colorado downriver and come up on the West side to approach Las Vegas. Anyway, we stopped and had to open the tonneau on Big Bubba's truck for the Federal Security guard to do a cursory inspection and tell us we were okay to get on our way. There were still showers in the area as we approached the Dam, so we didn't get a good chance to look around... it was dark anyway. But the showers stopped just before crossing the Dam and we had our breath taken away when we snaked our way down the hill to drive across. We stopped at one of the viewing areas and Big Bubba got a nice shot of the Lake/Dam at night. I'll try to post that for ya when we get back to Phoenix.

We gained an hour crossing the State Line into Nevada. The first real view of Las Vegas coming down out of the hills was awe inspiring. It's a bigger town than I expected... LOTS of lights in this valley! There was one cloud over the downtown area and the light on top of the Luxor hotel was illuminating the bottom of that cloud. It looked like a scene out of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"... we joked that the Luxor probably paid a fortune to have the cloud moved there!

We rolled through the gate at Nellis Air Force Base at 1 A.M. local time and were in bed asleep by 2. Big Bubba snores worse than I do, but that didn't stop all of us from getting a decent night's sleep. We are headed out the door to drive the strip when I push the "Publish Post" button at the bottom of this page.

Stay tuned, more later!

Irish Dance Recital

February, 21, 2008 - Irish Dance Recital
Warren Performing Arts Center - Indianapolis, Indiana
It was a cold 16 degrees in Indianapolis last night, but it was warm and wonderful at the Richens/Timm Academy Irish Dance Recital. Irish dancers from 4 years to about 32 years were so enjoyable to see. The costumes were very beautiful and the fast feet amazing. World class dancers who will compete in Dublin to the 4 year olds brought the crowd of about 500 to their feet as well as squeals of joy and applause. The program lasted about an hour and a half, but seemed to go by quickly.
Our own class of '65 TPO did the sound for the entire program and did not miss a cue. Mrs. TPO co-chaired the recital with another lady. The program progressed without a hitch, and best yet was that every dancer had a great smile and seemed to be having the best time ever performing for us. When everything runs smoothly and seems to be fun for the performers, I think we forget that so many people work very hard to make this happen.
Carleigh, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. TPO, was amazing in 4 dances, Jury's Medley, Treble Jig, The Vikings in Ireland and Reel Around the Sun. She is a Junior in high school, but is in the senior dance division. She is an accomplished Irish Dancer of four years, as well as straight A student at Cathedral High School. She likes to ride horses, and gave up volleyball this year to concentrate on dance. Every time I have been with Carleigh she has been charming and so pleasant to be with.
The dancing was soft shoe and hard shoe, equally entertaining. Three of the dances were from the famous "River Dance" show with Michael Flatley. My favorite two dances of the evening were the Reel Around the Sun, hard shoe, and the Treble Reel, hard shoe. The Treble Reel, the last dance of the evening, included the dance school teachers led by John Timm, school owner and 1993 Senior Mens World Champion. This was so beautiful with seven dancers. The rhythm of the shoes was like a "machine gun". Every move and jump perfectly in-sync with the other dancers.
Indy’s Irish Festival is September 19th - 21st of 2008 at Military Park, downtown Indianapolis. Some of us had talked about attending this year. Irish Festival is dancing, food, music, and etc., but mostly fun.
Mrs. Hawkeye

Greetings. Wish You Were Here!

We're safely here.

I'm listening to my talk-radio station from home, streaming live
on the 'net, and they're talking about Sleet/Ice/Snow at home.
Sara Jean's best friend is headed home after a half-day's work because the roads are so terrible.
Looks like we picked a good week to come to Arizona.

If you've read the comments below, you know Carol and Tracy are also in town here. Turns out we may be separated here in the Phoenix metropolitan area by only ten miles or so. I had hoped we might meet for lunch at one of my favorite Mexican eateries, but Carol is dealing with vomitus emissions from one of her young charges and can't make it today. I'm disappointed, but we'll attempt another connection after we get back from Las Vegas.

I had hoped my mention of the DDFF would elicit a few comments from those of you with hopes of attending so we can begin to get a feel for what sort of group will be there this year. To TC and others with questions, click this link for further information. As previously stated, Units 1-10 are in the front of the complex and all have a view of the Gulf of Mexico. Again the dates, 11 through 18 May.
I can answer general questions, so feel free to email or comment here if I can help. For questions about availability or costs, check the link or call the toll-free number for help. And TD, the minimum allowable stay is three nights, but I hope you're not thinkin' along those lines!

And now I'll throw this open to you... Open forum time.
Time to unload your thoughts. Comment!

Slip-Slidin' Away...

....Into retirement mode.
(We don't want to jump into retirement so quickly that we have a negative reaction!)

Wednesday we'll once again be boarding the flying aluminum cylinder, destination Phoenix. Our plan is to spend Wednesday and Thursday night with Big Bubba, then when BB can get away from work on Friday we'll jump in his new-to-him truck and head Northwest five hours or so to Las Vegas.
I've never been to Las Vegas. When I was 16 our family made a road trip to California, and we drove down Reno's Main Street on our way to CA. But Reno ain't Vegas, and that was in '63 so neither town looks anything like it did then anyway!
Big Bubba's work requirements will have us back on the road to Phoenix on Sunday afternoon, so we'll call this a "scouting mission" to get a taste of what's available for a longer stay later. Right now we plan on visiting the Hoover Dam, and naturally, Sci-Fi nut BB wants to go see "The Star Trek Experience" at the Las Vegas Hilton. Other than that, we don't have a clue, other than walking/driving around to see the sights. If you have suggestions we'd love to get 'em!

I love road trips. I'm hopeful our trip back from Vegas will be mostly during daylight hours so we can see the scenery along the way. The majority of my life has been spent East of Kansas City, MO., so our trip from Flagstaff to Phoenix last year was breathtaking... snow and pines in the mountains giving way to warm temperatures and Saguaro cactus in the Valley.

Two more days with BB in Phoenix, then we'll be wingin' our way back home Tuesday afternoon.
I'm just lookin' forward to getting away from slushy snow and overcast skies for a week.

11-18 May!
A little over two months after we get home from this trip we'll be headed to Destin for the DDFF. May seems a long way away, what with snow and ice all around us here at home...
but it's not too early to begin taking steps toward meeting your schoolmates for some fun alongside the Gulf of Mexico.

I think all participants would agree... we had such a wonderful time last year! (More feedback about last year here.) I'm hopeful more of you will meet us for a week in paradise this May. You can go here to take a look at available condos and prices, and you can even take a "virtual" tour of some of the units. (Units One through Ten face the Gulf. Sara Jean, TD, Cinders and I will be in Unit 3.)
May is normally a quiet time in Destin, so condos will probably be available right up until the week we'll be there. But the units with a view of the water are most likely to be rented early, so if you dream of drinking your morning cuppa while watching dolphins ply their way across your front yard, you need to consider reserving your home-away-from-home soon, and you can also do that right on that website.
Two couples can stay in each unit and have more than enough room to be comfortable... and that brings costs down to less than what you'd pay staying in a motel room.
If ya need additional information/advice, you can either email me or leave a comment here and get your questions answered.

We've called and reserved our unit. Let us all know if you plan to join us!

For the Class of 1965, Where were you that night

This commercial ran at the conclusion of the 6th season of Bonanza, That night's episode, "The Hostage." This episode ran totally commercial free due to an arrangement with their longtime sponsors, Chevrolet.
It ran for 5 1/2 minutes, unheard of in today's world.
The date: Sept. 27, 1964.
So now, sit back, relax and enjoy.

Chevrolet Commercial of 1965 - Truveo Video Search

Signage requested

I received this from my daughter-in-law, Tami - Please keep it going.
Thanks - Carol


This is the petition we have created and will present to Congress (hopefully with 20,000 signatures) on March 6 in hopes of passing stronger laws to protect consumers from identity theft.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/strikeback#signatures

Please have everyone sign and pass along to EVERYONE you know!!
Thanks!
Tami

Tami Nealy Director of Communications LifeLock® - Guarantee Your Good Name
PLEASE NOTE MY NEW PHONE NUMBER 480-457-2127 Direct 602-741-0145 Cell

STRIKE BACK - DEFEAT IDENTITY THEFT NOW www.petitionsite.com/1/strikeback

Another 61

You know him, you love him, you want him to eat Corned Beef and Cabbage.
I think today is TPO's big day.
Happy birthday my brother.

North to Alaska

"In all the 50 states you won't find a fun-filled adventure like it!"

"These were the adventures . . . fighting, laughing and brawling their way from Seattle to Nome!” Sam (John Wayne) and George (Stewart Granger) strike gold in Alaska. George sends Sam to Seattle to bring George's fiance back to Alaska. Sam finds she is already married, and returns instead with Angel (Capucine). Sam, after trying to get George and Angel together, finally romances Angel, who, in the meantime, is busy fighting off the advances of George's younger brother, Billy (Fabian). Frankie (Ernie Kovacs) is a con man trying to steal the partner's gold claim."
This was a promo for the movie "North to Alaska" Some of you ‘Old Timers’ may remember it.

Well, this isn’t exactly what we had in mind. I’m sure that the landscape has changed a little in the 50 years since this movie came out. And we are not as ‘frisky’ as we once were, we can leave out the fighting and brawling and I don’t know about Angel – but, I’ll bet that there will be big adventure with lots of laughing and we may find gold! Join us on a ‘Cruise and Land Tour’ of Alaska. We will begin talking about this at the end of February. Very little details yet. Summer months of 2009 or 2010. Probably +/- 12 days. Open to all. Input and feedback always welcomed and considered. Stay tuned……